The Nashik district administration has ruled out releasing dam water for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela’s Dhwajarohan ceremony and other religious rituals, citing government rules and drought-related concerns, even as officials work to address sewage discharge and low water levels in the Godavari at key pilgrimage sites.
The decision was discussed at a meeting of the Nashik Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority on October 16, chaired by Kumbh Mela minister Girish Mahajan. The Dhwajarohan ceremony is scheduled for October 31. Officials also reviewed conditions at Ramkund and the Aruna-Godavari confluence, where water levels have been affected largely by ongoing construction activities, according to the district administration.
A senior NTKMA officer said Nashik Municipal Corporation had been directed to ensure that drainage was not discharged into the Godavari and to remove stagnant water from affected areas. The meeting also considered the need to maintain at least two feet of water at the identified locations for religious activities and public use.
NTKMA commissioner Shekhar Singh said a meeting with the water resources department would be held soon to assess the situation. “Against the backdrop of the drought, a meeting will be held with the water resources department to assess the situation and take a call,” he told reporters on Sunday.
However, collector Ayush Prasad said releasing water from dams for religious events was not permitted under the existing policy framework. “We have not received any such demand from NTKMA. Since the govt resolution does not allow the release of water for this purpose, we cannot release it,” Prasad said.
The administration’s position comes despite relatively high reservoir storage in the district. Nashik’s reservoirs currently hold 67 TMC of water, or around 95% of their total capacity, compared with 92.5% during the same period last year. Storage in the Gangapur dam complex is 9.9 TMC, or 96.5% of capacity, against 98.8% during the corresponding period last year.
Officials said reservoir storage alone does not determine whether an area is facing drought. The district’s drought assessment has also been influenced by the distribution of rainfall and declining groundwater levels. A senior district official said water reservations were based on requirements from villages, local bodies, industries and farmers, with rising demands emerging from villages in drought-affected areas.
The official said Nashik taluka itself was not classified as drought-hit, while downstream Niphad taluka fell under the drought category. Deficient rainfall and falling groundwater levels have increased demand for water, while some formal proposals for additional supplies are still awaited.
The administration has therefore placed the immediate responsibility on civic and water authorities to improve conditions at the riverfront and pilgrimage locations without diverting reservoir water for ceremonial purposes. The water resources department meeting is expected to determine the next administrative response to the conditions at Ramkund and the Aruna-Godavari confluence.
