Apprehension of Worsening Water Crisis in Northern, Central, and Eastern States

17-Apr-2026 07:12 PM

New Delhi. Given the rapid pace at which water levels are depleting in dams, reservoirs, and other water sources across various parts of the country, there is apprehension that the water crisis will intensify in the northern, central, and eastern states as well.

A water scarcity has already begun to be felt in South India. Only the situation in the western states appears somewhat better. A spell of severe heat continues across Maharashtra.

Relative to total storage capacity, the actual water stock has dropped to 49.6 percent in the central region, 44 percent in the northern region, and 39 percent in the eastern states. When considering the major agricultural producing states, water levels in dams and reservoirs have fallen to 50.8 percent in Madhya Pradesh,

63 percent in Chhattisgarh, 45.5 percent in Uttar Pradesh, 68 percent in Punjab, 50 percent in Rajasthan, 15 percent in Bengal, 17 percent in Assam, 40 percent in Odisha, 35 percent in Bihar, and 57 percent in Jharkhand.