WCL supplies water to drought-hit villages in Vidarbha

Public sector undertaking Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) has started supplying water from its underground water reserves to nearby villages in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, which has been reeling under severe drought.

In course of its coal mining activity, the mines of WCL tap a huge reserve of undergroundwater, of which a small portion is utilised for its day to day functions.

The major quantum of water, which was being unutilised until a year ago, is now being put to effective use by the surrounding villages with the help of WCL, a WCL release issued here said.

In the past few months, WCL has initiated various development activities with its unutilised mine water discharge like recharging canals and rivers, providing water for irrigation, recharging wells and underground water table and providing potable water to name a few, it said.