Ambegaon authorities have been directed to prepare immediately for possible water scarcity after drought was declared in the taluka, with officials asked to identify vulnerable villages and hamlets, assess water sources and arrange tanker supplies wherever required. The instructions were issued by Archana Tambe, sub-divisional officer for the Ambegaon-Junnar division, during a taluka-level review meeting at the sub-divisional office in Manchar on Thursday.
The directions cover three immediate concerns: drinking water, fodder and crop-loss assessment. Tambe asked officials and employees to conduct a serious review of the emerging drought situation and to complete preventive measures before water shortages become acute. Villages and settlements facing scarcity are to be inspected, while the need for tanker water supply is to be assessed according to local conditions.
Officials were also instructed to examine the current status of wells, water-supply schemes and other water sources across Ambegaon taluka. The review is intended to support planning for drinking water availability, although the report does not specify the number of villages currently facing shortages, the number of tankers required or the volume of water available in local sources.
Livestock management formed another part of the administrative response. Tambe directed officials to collect information on fodder currently available, existing stocks and likely demand. The departments were asked to plan for the provision of fodder and water to animals as drought conditions continue. The report does not provide figures for the taluka’s livestock population or its fodder reserves.
The meeting also addressed losses to agricultural crops. The revenue, agriculture and panchayat samiti machinery has been asked to conduct field inspections and prepare accurate and transparent crop-loss assessments according to government norms. Reports from these assessments must be submitted on time so that eligible farmers can receive government assistance, Tambe said.
The meeting was attended by Ambegaon tehsildar Rahul Sarang, block development officer Pramila Valunj, Kukadi Project executive engineer Ganesh Nannor, forest-range officer Vikas Bhosale and deputy engineer Datta Kokane, along with officials from several departments. Their participation places the response across revenue, rural development, water resources, agriculture, forest and local administrative functions rather than within a single department.
Tambe said drought conditions required all departments to work in coordination, prioritising water, fodder and assistance to farmers. The immediate administrative tasks are the inspection of vulnerable settlements and water sources, collection of fodder and demand information, field verification of crop losses, and timely submission of assistance-related reports.
