Overview
- State Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan announced the mandatory cut on Monday and told all municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats to begin the reduction on October 16.
- The government has declared 265 talukas drought-hit after applying the Trigger‑1 criterion for the 2026 kharif season and has drawn up dam‑wise plans that extend reservoir use through August 31, 2027.
- Officials ordered a 10% emergency buffer in every reservoir and reserved water for drinking needs first, with livestock and fodder next and irrigation only after those needs are met.
- Local bodies must run sewage treatment plants at full capacity and use treated wastewater for non‑potable uses while industries must reuse or recycle at least 30% of their water.
- Revenue, police and water resources teams will patrol dams, rivers and canals to seize illegal pumps and curb unauthorised extraction while the state rolls out targeted relief and support for affected farmers.