Maharashtra government has decided to restrict digging of borewells beyond 200 feet. The action was taken to check the steep decline in ground water level in the state, which at present is facing recurring droughts and severe water crisis in Marathwada and Vidarbha region. The violators of the rule would face fine or/and imprisonment, as the action will be considered as a punishable offence.

• The irrigation borwell is disadvantageous on account of low dependability of yield, low discharge and recuperation rate.
• The number of irrigation borewells in Latur stood at 34778 in 2007, only second after Nashik at 37545.
• The unofficial number stands at 90000, out of which 100 bores are as deep as 1000 feet or more, of which half have stopped working in past 10 years.
• The existing rules say that there can be only five borewells per square kilometers, which means in an ideal situation there should be maximum 3575 bores in the 715 square kilometers of the 10 talukas.

Other News from the State

• In order to check sale of spurious liquor, the Maharashtra Government has decided to make it mandatory to have a hologram on every alcohol bottle manufactured and sold in the State.
• The Government has decided to paste “polyester base track and trace” hologram, to be supported by a mobile app, which will help consumers find out whether the liquor is fake or genuine.
• The Government is developing a free of cost mobile app, which when brought in contact with the hologram, will immediately generate a green or red mark indicating to the buyer whether the liquor, wine, country made liquor, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is fake or genuine.