India, Oct. 13 -- A controversy has erupted over the alleged diversion of 190.79 million cubic metres (MCM) of water to the Kumbh Mela from the stock that was reserved for areas in drought-hit Marathwada. Representatives of the Marathwada Samnyayi Paniwatap Sangharsh Samiti (MSPSS) met state irrigation officers on Monday and demanded that the proposed diversion be scrapped.

A total of 386 MCM of water in Mukane, Bham, Bhavali and Waki dams in Nashik has been reserved for irrigation in 102 villages of Marathwada's Vaijapur and Gangapur talukas covering around 43,860 hectares. Marathwada is facing a massive drought and water scarcity after a bad monsoon, and given this, reports about the diversion of half its stock to the Kumbh Mela has cr...