India, April 10 -- As trips to fetch water from tankers get longer, expert says dire situation result of poor water management

Years of scanty rain and drought-like conditions are now catching up with Maharashtra's Marathwada, as lands are slowly turning arid much to farmers' despair. For generations, farmers have depended on the steady flow of water to nurture their fields and sustain their families. The once-abundant water sources have now dwindled to mere remnants of their former selves.

When Dhananjay Gundekar was born in 1994 in Ambesavali village of Beed district, Maharashtra, his family constructed a bore well to celebrate his birth. At that time, water was found at a depth of around 60 metres. In addition, there was a dug well w...