Court allows release of water for Jayakwadi dam in Nashik

Mumbai: The  Supreme court on Wednesday allowed releasing of water from Nilwande dam of North Maharashtra to Jayakwadi of Marathwada. The decision has come as a win-win situation for Congress. The party’s north Maharashtra leadership had approa-ched the Supreme court requesting to stop release of water whereas, Marathwada leadership had mobilised people for water on the ground.

As sub-regional identities are on sharp rise in drought-prone areas, Congress played for both the sides. “This stopped other parties from muddling into the issue and ultimately it secured crowd from both regions with Congress,” said a senior leader.

According to Equal Distribution of Water Act, the extra water from Nashik and Ahmednagar districts need to be released to Jayakwadi dam of Marathwada. Officers of Godavari irrigation body had issued an order to release 9 TMC water from Nilwande dam to Jayakwadi. But, Padmashri Vitthalrao Patil sugar mill appealed against this order in the Supreme court. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court quashed the petition and allowed the board to release the water for Marathwada.

As the state is going through the severe drought this year and the elections are around, water distribution is likely to become a politically sensitive point. Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil handles Vitthalrao Patil sugar mill. His appeal to order against releasing of water was depicted as politics for votes from North Maharashtra.

But on the other side, Congress Member of Legislative Assembly Abdul Sattar and other leaders from Marathwada had mobilised people on the ground for the water. They even called MLA meeting of Marathwada to unite on the issue.

“Be it North Maharashtra or Marathwada, Congress lead the battle for water. It is risky as people may see you as an opportunistic. But, in politics, you can’t sit idle. In such state, you try to balance the act. Congress lead this balance,” said Jaydev Dole, a senior journalist from Aurangabad.