The Centre has decided to send Central Water Commission teams to drought-affected areas across the country to assess availability of water and prepare reports.
The situation has forced many people to vacate their homes in search of food and water. Nearly 46 districts in Madhya Pradesh have been severely hit by drought.
Dry days look ahead in Chhattisgarh as water level in dams and reservoirs is only 30 percent of the total storage capacity. In total, 117 tehsils are facing drought like situations in the state.
In Madhya Pradesh, around 46 districts have been affected by drought.
One of the worst affected is Tikamgarh, where the rainfall has been below normal. Water level in half of dams in the state is only 10 percent of the total storage capacity.
In Bundelkhand, which is divided on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the current drought has severely impacted lives of people.
More than 62 lakh farmers and labourers have migrated to other areas. Sowing reports indicate that farmers have planted only 20% of farming areas in the state.
Many areas in Marharashtra is experiencing an unprecedented water scarcity this summer.
The situation has led authorities in Parbhani town in the parched Marathwada region to impose prohibitory orders near water supply spots in the town.
In Latur, Municipal Corporation has already deployed home guards at the water tanks. The authorities said that they might deploy police at water supply spots if the situation demands.
Meanwhile, government has decided to send Central Water Commission teams to drought-affected areas across the country to assess availability of water and prepare reports based on the information collected.
Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti said that one such CWC team is already visiting water-starved Latur district in Maharashtra and a report in this regard is expected to be submitted soon.
The Minister said that CWC will go and assess availability of water in the affected area and this information will be given to states.
She also said that the union government will manage to face the current crisis through various schemes like livelihood programme of MGNREGA this year but added that states take measures to save water.