Causes of drought in Maharashtra

Source: The post causes of drought in Maharashtra has been created, based on the article “Analysing Maharashtra’s water crisis” published in “The Hindu” on 26th June 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3– Environment- Conservation

Context: The article discusses the drought in Marathwada, Maharashtra. It explains how the rain-shadow effect and climate change worsen water scarcity. It highlights the problems with water-intensive crops like sugarcane and suggests solutions like better water management and crop diversification.

For detailed information on Water Crisis in India read this article here

What are the causes of drought in Maharashtra?

1. Rain-shadow Effect: Marathwada lies in the rain-shadow region of the Western Ghats, receiving only 600-800 mm of rainfall compared to 2,000-4,000 mm on the western side.
2. Climate Change: A 2016 IIT Gandhinagar study found increasing drought severity and frequency in central Maharashtra, worsening the situation.
3. Water-intensive Crops: Sugarcane, which requires 1,500-2,500 mm of water, occupies 4% of cropped area but consumes 61% of irrigation water. Government support has expanded its cultivation despite recommendations to ban it in low-rainfall areas.
4. Soil and Topography: Marathwada’s clayey black soil (locally called “regur”) has a low infiltration rate, causing water runoff instead of groundwater recharge. This soil retains water, leading to logging or runoff, not percolation.
5. Geographic Disadvantage: Upland areas face severe water scarcity as groundwater moves to valleys, leaving upland wells dry a few months after the monsoons.

What should be done?

1. Implement Supply-Side Solutions: Build water-conserving structures like contour trenches, earthen bunds, and gully plugs to capture rainwater runoff. Maharashtra has 1,845 large dams, but more small-scale structures are needed to manage water better.
2. Promote Water-Efficient Crops: Shift from water-intensive crops like sugarcane, which occupies 4% of cropped area but uses 61% of irrigation water, to drought-resistant crops like pulses and millets.
3. Government Policy Change: Follow the Maharashtra Water and Irrigation Commission’s recommendation to ban sugarcane in areas with less than 1,000 mm of rainfall.
4. Use Employment Schemes: Utilize funds from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to design silt-trapping mechanisms and train farmers on desilting techniques.
5. Diversify Agriculture: Encourage high-value, low-water-using crops and diversify livelihoods to reduce dependency on water-intensive farming.
6. Address Groundwater Variability: Provide special support to upland areas where wells dry up after monsoons.

Question for practice:

Discuss the main causes of the drought in Marathwada, Maharashtra, and propose solutions to mitigate its impact.