THANE: The Konkan region, including Thane and Palghar district, recorded nearly double the amount of rainfall, bringing about a cheer in the agricultural and irrigation department. Experts, however, claimed that abundant rainfall in urban areas spells havoc for residents as it means water-logging and mishaps are bound to take place due to the inadequate measures taken by the authorities to tap the problem.Thane district, including the lake city, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan-Dombivli, among others have collectively witnessed an average of 1,464.9mm rainfall, which is nearly 161% of its average rainfall of 908.7mm. While neighbouring Palghar district has collectively witnessed 167% rainfall, tehsils of Vasai, Dahanu, Talasari have independently recorded over double the rainfall than what is expected by mid-July, reveals a district-wise rainfall report of Maharashtra. The report does not include Mumbai island and suburbs.Officials from the state agricultural department said that the volume is satisfactory for the local paddy crop that is cultivated at this time of the season in parts of the state, inlcuding Thane but said any increase in the intensity could spell trouble. “The rains have concentrated mainly in urban areas, while the rural parts of Thane district like Bhiwandi, Shahpur, Murbad and parts of Ulhasnagar have been receiving adequate rainfall which is helping crops,” said Mahendra Sawant, superintending officer at Thane district agriculture department.Meanwhile, the heavy rainfall has also spelt good news for reservoirs as most of the 175 major, minor and medium-size dams have been filled by 60% by mid-July. “The heavy rainfall in catchment areas mean faster filling of reservoirs. Good rainfall in its surrounding areas located at the base of reservoirs from where water supply agencies lift water for domestic and industrial use also gets full, which means less requirement of releasing stock that can be stored for the oncoming seasons,” said an official from the irrigation department.Across the state, Amaravati and Nagpur regions have registered fairly good rainfall till July 14, while Pune and Aurangabad has barely reached its average volume. Nashik region that includes Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon district among others has reported a shortfall in the average rain quantity ideally to be showered by mid-July. However, it is Solapur in Pune region that has witnessed the weakest rains among the districts this monsoon even as reservoirs in this region have 45% water stock which is more than what was stored last year.However, activists say that the abundant water from urban areas like Thane city, Kalyan and Vasai that recently witnessed flooding could otherwise have been tapped and percolated in the ground which is now reduced due to rampant concretization.

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