Aurangabad: Only 24 per cent live water is left in dams in the parched region of Marathwada of Maharashtra.  

There are a total of 867 dams, including major, medium, minor and barrages, the water from where is fastly evaporating due to rising mercury and limited water stock.  

Latest statistics available with the Divisional Commissioner office here stated that up to March 16 there were 33 per cent (2664 mcum) live water stock remaining, but due to mercury shooting up in the region the water stocks have depleted significantly till April 15 which now stood at 24 per cent (2000 mcum), they said. 

At the moment, only 2000 Mcum water stock of a total capacity of 7,911.27 Mcum is available in these dams, that is 24 per cent, they said. 

In 11 major dams in the region, there is only 37 per cent live water stock available, of total capacity of 5,143 Mcum. 

While 24 per cent live water stocks remain in 75 medium irrigation project and 14 per cent live water stocks in minor project.  

All the district administrations have started tankers to supply drinking water to the affected villages and Hamlet's in the region. 

Aurangabad is most affected district in the region. 

There is an urgent need to plan lifting of water from these projects in future, otherwise situation will worsen in the coming days, in the region, it added.