Summary:
Officials said north Maharashtra also recorded a below-normal rainfall last monsoon.In January 2018, nearly 10,300 villages showed groundwater depletion by more than one metre. Unhindered extraction and mismanagement of groundwater are the main causes for the dipping water table. The precipitation was subpar in central Maharashtra and Vidarbha , but as per IMD, it was in the normal range. “The January data are indicative of the groundwater extraction after November last year, mainly for irrigating Rabi crops. There are approximately 44,000 villages in Maharashtra.An official from GSDA said all these 12,609 villages had recorded over 20% or more rainfall deficit in monsoon last year..