Nashik’s district administration has prepared a drought action plan for 777 villages and 1,280 hamlets between October 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027, after deficient rainfall and a failed monsoon left wells, borewells and surface water sources at risk of drying up.
The plan, submitted by resident deputy collector Rohit Rajput and coordinated with the zilla parishad’s rural water supply department, includes 2,906 water-scarcity mitigation works. The state government has declared 13 of Nashik district’s 15 talukas drought-affected, with only Nashik and Dindori excluded from the declaration.
The proposed response has been divided into three phases: October to December 2026, January to March 2027, and the peak summer period from April to June 2027. The measures include completing ongoing piped water supply schemes, carrying out special repairs to existing networks, implementing temporary supplementary piped water schemes, deepening wells and repairing borewells.
“The comprehensive action plan targets 777 villages and 1,280 hamlets across the district, identifying a total of 2,906 water scarcity mitigation measures,” Rajput said, according to the report. The sequence prioritises local and network-based interventions before moving to emergency water transport.
Where existing sources and infrastructure are insufficient, the administration plans to acquire 375 private wells to augment local water availability. Tankers and bullock carts have been identified as the final options for hard-hit rural areas facing severe shortages. The plan provides for 3,555 tanker trips across 555 locations to serve 1,672 localised spots and scattered habitations.
Malegaon, Nandgaon, Baglan and Yeola have been identified among the vulnerable talukas, with a high concentration of private-well acquisitions and tanker deployments because of severe groundwater depletion expected during the peak summer months. The plan therefore combines source augmentation with transport-based supply rather than relying only on tankers.
The total financial outlay sanctioned for the drought mitigation programme is Rs 13.8 crore. Of this, Rs 11.2 crore has been earmarked for tanker operations and Rs 1.9 crore for acquiring private wells. The district administration’s phase-wise schedule will guide implementation through the summer of 2027.
