Cement cha jangal ach jhalela aahe [It has almost become a cement jungle],” says Sanjay Chavan, a farmer from Uchgaon village in Kolhapur district. In the last decade, Uchgaon has seen an increase in factories and industries and a simultaneous decrease in groundwater levels.

“Our wells are out of water now,” says the 48-year-old farmer.

Nearly 14 per cent of wells in parts of Maharashtra, including Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, show shrinking water levels, as per the Ground Water Year Book of Maharashtra (2019). The average well depth has gone from 30 feet to 60 in the last two decades, says Ratan Rathod, a drilling contractor.

Every house in Uchgaon now has a borewell, says Sanjay, siphoning off large quantities of groundwater. “Twenty years ago, there were 15-20 borewells in Uchgaon. Today there are 700-800,” says Madhukar Chavan, former deputy sarpanch, Uchgaon.

Daily water demand in Uchgaon is between 25 to 30 lakh litres, but “[...] the village can only have 10-12 lakh liters every alternate day,” says Madhukar. He says the situation is set to trigger a massive water crisis in the village.

This short film follows the farmers affected by diminishing groundwater levels in Kolhapur.

Watch the film: In search of water

Jaysing Chavan

जयसिंह चव्हाण, कोल्हापुर के स्वतंत्र फ़ोटोग्राफ़र और फ़िल्ममेकर हैं.

की अन्य स्टोरी Jaysing Chavan
Text : Siddhita Sonavane

सिद्धिता सोनावने एक पत्रकार हैं और पीपल्स आर्काइव ऑफ़ रूरल इंडिया में बतौर कंटेंट एडिटर कार्यरत हैं. उन्होंने अपनी मास्टर्स डिग्री साल 2022 में मुम्बई के एसएनडीटी विश्वविद्यालय से पूरी की थी, और अब वहां अंग्रेज़ी विभाग की विज़िटिंग फैकल्टी हैं.

की अन्य स्टोरी Siddhita Sonavane
Translator : Anuja Date

अनुजा दाते, बेंगलुरु स्थित पीएचडी छात्रा हैं और वन समुदायों के अधिकारों के मुद्दों पर काम करती हैं.

की अन्य स्टोरी Anuja Date