The water table levels in almost all 2,300 dams in Maharashtra, and four main dams in Mumbai, are dipping fast.

This summer, the capital city and its suburbs are in the grip of acute water shortage. In a multi-part series The Hindu examines the diverse ways the problem has impacted the people.

Water taps that can do little more than drip, wells that give no more water, water tanker operators who know that people would pay anything for that precious potful… summertime is often cruel to the residents of the capital city.

Jaipur: It’s time Rajasthan moves out of dependence on rain to solve the perennial water crisis. If the government honestly takes up water-harvesting and conservation, backed by technology innovations, people may not face the crisis every summer.

Recently, two teams from the state have made it to the finals of annual Microsoft Imagine Cup competition, a premier international student technology competition. The India finals for the same would be held at

SHILLONG: The BJP in an emergency meeting held in Tura on Friday drew the attention of the government on the the water crisis in Tura. It has been viewed by the party that the water scarcity in Tura is an annual occurrence and a major issue of concern.

The question posed by the leader of the opposition, Conrad K. Sangma, was why couldn’t the government guarantee the evasion of water scarcity when the sources of water are plentiful during every season.

It's summer vacation time for Vaishali Koli. But, for this eight-year-old from Degaon village in Dhule's Shindkheda taluk, the months of April and May do not mean summer camps and hobby classes. They mean long hours of filling water at hand pumps in her village, one of many in Maharashtra hit by scarcity. “I fill 20 steel pots everyday, twice,” she says, pumping water on a hot afternoon. Hoisting one vessel on her head, and fitting the other on her waist, she says, “I don't know if this is better than giving exams,” speaking to The Hindu earlier this week.

Gandhinagar: With summer setting in, the Narendra Modi government does not want to take any chances with rural folk in an election year. In a massive drive to make full use of Narmada waters across Gujarat for drinking purposes, complete plans have been worked out to ensure that not only do they reach in all parts of Gujarat, but also to as many as individual households as possible. Funds have been made available, and administrative sanction obtained, to begin tens of big and small projects.

Water scarcity always evokes a knee-jerk measure - drilling borewells; long-term plans need of the hour.

Every drop is priceless: Scramble for water is a common sight in villages during summer. Given the ever-increasing demand for the precious commodity, only scientific conservation methods will save the day. Elected representatives are demanding more and more funds from the government for drilling borewells in the 123 drought affected taluks spread across 24 districts.

Maharashtra government has agreed to release 2 thousand million cubic metres (TCM) of water from Dudhganga and Warna rivers to the border districts of Karnataka till the monsoon. In return, Karnataka would do necessary arrangement for the release of Almati backwater which can help overcome prevailing scarcity in Jat taluka of Sangli district in western Maharashtra. These decisions were taken at the meeting between the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and a delegation of Karnataka ministers comprising agriculture minister Umesh Katti and industries minister Murugesh Nirani.

The city corporation council has decided to seek government’s immediate intervention in resolving the issue of water scarcity in various parts of the city.

The council will exert pressure on state government to hasten land acquisition and other works for the proposed Piravom water supply scheme, which will augment water supply to West Kochi and adjoining areas.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing water woes in the state.