Aurangabad: The Jayakwadi major irrigation project in Aurangabad, along with two other such projects in Osmanabad and Beed district, are on the verge of discharging water after being filled to more than 90% of their live storage capacity on Thursday.While the Jayakwadi dam is more than 94% full, the Sina Kolegaon and Lower Terna in Osmanabad has reported 100% live storage by Thursday afternoon. Manjra major irrigation project in Beed has reached 93% of its live storage.As per official data, the cumulative live storage in 955 different major, medium and minor projects has crossed the 60% mark as against 43% at the same time last year, largely addressing the water needs till the next monsoon.A senior official from the Command Area Development Authority (CADA), Aurangabad, said the substantial increase in the levels of Marathwada's dams due to recent rainfall bounty would ensure drinking water needs are met till the next monsoon and also provide adequate water for the rabi season that begins from mid-October and continues till February-end.The Jayakwadi project was getting an inflow of around 34,040 cusecs by Thursday afternoon. The inflow from the upstream areas in Nashik and Ahmednagar has somewhat slowed down, but water discharge seems imminent, the authorities said.A group of farmers from Paithan taluka has submitted a memorandum to the irrigation department, demanding that the gates of the Jayakwadi dam be opened only after it is filled to capacity. Some local residents of Newasa taluka in Ahmednagar district have demanded immediate water release from the dams as their farms were said to be inundated due to the rise in the levels in the reservoir. An immediate discharge from the dam would cost Marathwada nearly 8 TMC of water.As per official data, 44 major irrigation projects from Marathwada have been holding nearly 71% live storage as against 45% last year, while 79 medium projects have been filled to 52% capacity as compared to 39% last year.Aurangabad ,Jalna and Hingoli districts reported 34mm, 28mm and 10mm rainfall respectively in the region whereas other five districts did not see any major showers. Marathwada, which had reported 84% normal rainfall between June and August, has reported 91% normal showers during September.graphic taken

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