Page values for "Rajasthan's Quest for Water Security"

The slow progress of the monsoon is causing worry in Rajasthan, as only 14 of the 33 districts in the state have received normal rains so far. With the rainfall 9 percent below normal in the state, several areas are facing an acute drinking water crisis. State capital Jaipur is facing a grim water situation as the Bisalpur dam has little reserves left. The dam, which supplies water to Jaipur, Ajmer, and Tonk districts, has water left for just a few more weeks. In the state, 215 of 284 dams are dry, and the remaining 69 have low water levels. Of the 22 large dams in the state, nine have no water. Nine districts are suffering from drought and more than 3,000 villages are being supplied water by tankers.

The scarcity of water has become one of the most pressing problems in Rajasthan. There has also been an increase in the number of dark zones as groundwater is drying up at an alarming rate. Temperatures as high as 47 degree Celsius in parts of the state make the situation worse.