A water shortage in parts of rural Latur district in Maharashtra has prompted the administration to deploy emergency measures to ensure drinking water supply to residents, reported the PTI.
Officials said two government water tankers have been deployed, while 63 wells and borewells are being utilised across affected areas.
Tanker water supply has been approved for Shivaji Nagar Tanda, Waghmari Tanda and Gavhan village in Jalkot tehsil.
According to officials, two government tankers are making four trips daily at full capacity to supply water to these areas.
The arrangement has been made to ensure that residents in the worst-affected villages receive drinking water without disruption.
Use of private wells and borewells
In other tehsils where the situation is serious but tanker supply is not yet required, the administration has arranged water supply through private sources.
Officials said 63 private wells and borewells have been temporarily taken over to support the drinking water supply system in the district.
District Collector Bharat Bastewad reviewed the ongoing water supply arrangements on Tuesday.
He also assessed progress under various water supply schemes, including works under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government programme aimed at improving rural drinking water access.
Efforts to ensure basic supply
The officials said that the efforts are being made to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in rural areas facing scarcity, while monitoring demand and availability on a daily basis.
Two children drown in open pit in Latur
Meanwhile, in an another incident, the Latur Municipal Corporation has suspended two employees after two children drowned in an open pit used for collecting wastewater. Officials further said that a case of culpable homicide has also been registered against both of them, reported the PTI.
The incident happened in the Bodhe Nagar area of Ward No 16 on Sunday, sparking massive outrage among local residents.
Both the deceased Divya Ubale and Kartik Kamble apparently entered the pit, filled with water, on Sunday afternoon to retrieve a ball. Unaware of the depth, both children drowned on the spot.
The officials said, “The pit belonged to the municipal corporation and was being used to collect wastewater from nearby houses. After its protective covering collapsed, it remained open and unattended”, as per the PTI.
Following the incident, local residents had reportedly submitted a written complaint to the administration in 2025, demanding that the pit either be filled or secured with safety measures.
(with PTI inputs)