Amid a fierce controversy between Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and BJP’s Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde over the continued water supply to liquor manufacturing companies in drought-hit Marathwada, the Aurangabad district administration on Saturday announced 10 per cent cut for the industrial units and 20 per cent cut for breweries and distilleries in the region.
Announcing the decision to enforce water cuts for industrial units and to 11 liquor units — seven breweries and four distilleries in the region, Aurangabad District Collector Nidhi Pandey said in the evening: “We are enforcing the water cut in view of the severe drought. The cut will be in force for a fortnight. We will review the situation on April 30 and decide on further course of action”.
Attributing the increased depletion of water levels in reservoirs located in and around Aurangabad to soaring temperatures, the District Collector said: “We have asked industrial units to take steps to save water. The quantum of water cut in the 11 liquor units is more as they consume more water”.
The Aurangabad District Collector’s announcement about water cuts to industrial and liquor units came hours after Pankaja Munde joined issue with Uddhav over the latter’s demand for immediate discontinuation of water supply to such units in view of severe acute drinking water shortage in Marathwada.
A day after BJP’s Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse landed in a controversy over the alleged use of 10,000 litres of water for readying a make-shift helipad for his arrival in parched latur town, Pankaja opposed Thackeray’s demand saying that water being supplied to liquor and other manufacturing companies came from the stocks reserved for industries and it was not the water meant for irrigation and drinking water purposes.
Surprisingly enough, Pankaja’s stiff opposition to Thackeray’s demand for stopping the supply of water liquor manufacturing companies came on the heels of a statement by Maharashtra’s Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, also of the BJP, that the state government, if need be, would not hesitate to stop water supply to beer and other liquor manufacturing companies in Marathwada region.
Talking to media persons during a mass-wedding ceremony for couples from different caste organised by the Shiv Sena at Aurangabad in Marthwada, Uddhav said: “In view of severe drought prevailing in the region, it is but essential for the state government to accord priority to water over liquor. Given that we cannot manufacture water, it is necessary that we save water. Hence, it is a must that the state government stops supply of water to liquor and other manufacturing companies in Marthwada region”.
“If the State Government is worried about the revenue that it is expecting from the liquor manufacturing companies, it should realise that there are many other ways to earn revenue for the State exechquer,” the Sena chief said.
There are as many as 11 beer and liquor manufacturing companies in Marathwada region. Collectively, they use as much four million litres of water for manufacturing various alcoholic beverages.
Opposing Thackeray’s demand for stopping water supply to liquor manufacturing companies, Pankaja - who is the eldest daughter of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde - said: “We have to realise water that is being supplied to industries comes from reserved stocks. Water meant for irrigation and drinking purposes is not given to industries. The industries get water from stocks reserved exclusively for them. While the government gets some revenue from the industries in question, people get employment from these industries,” Pankaja said.
“These industries are sources of earning for several people. By closing down the units, the industrialists will not lose anything, but people who are depending on them lose a means to earn livelihood. If the industries in questions are using water from reserved stocks, industries - be the one ones manufacturing liquor or any other product — should be allowed to continue. Otherwise, if the industries in question are getting water meant for irrigation and drinking water purposes, then such water supply should be stopped,” the Rural Development minister said.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government is awaiting a report sought by State Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan from the Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner and District Collect on the volume of water supplied to beer and other liquor manufacturing companies in drought-affected Marathwada region.
Mahajan indicated that the State Government would take a call on Thackeray’s demand for discontinuing water supply to beer and other liquor manufacturing companies at a weekly State Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday.