Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Nanded district administration, in a massive action against illegal water lifting, has disconnected electricity to 51 Distribution Points (DPs) of MSEDCL and also removed 215 motors drawing water from the Godavari river and Vishnupuri reservoir.District collector Rahul Kardile said the drive is aimed to protect drinking water stock for Nanded city and villages situated along the Godavari riverbank in view of the prevailing drought situation.“Unauthorized lifting has been a major cause for depletion of water storage that is earmarked for drinking purposes. By curbing the illegal use, we aim to conserve available water and ensure its judicious use for the coming months,” he said.Acting on instructions from Nanded tehsildar Sanjay Warkad, joint teams of the revenue department, MSEDCL and police conducted coordinated raids in Rahati, Jaitapur, Someshwar, Pimpalgaon Kor, Borgaon, Thugaon, Markad, Pimpalgaon Nimji, Kallal, Vishnupuri and Kotitirth.“During the crackdown, the teams snapped power connections of DPs that were used for illegally lifting water and dismantled motor pump sets installed without permission along the river and reservoir periphery,” Warkad said.Nanded city largely depends on Vishnupuri reservoir for its drinking water supply and administration fears shortage if illegal lifting continues unchecked. The district administration has made it clear that the drive against unauthorized water lifting will continue in coming days.“Strict penal action will be taken in future against elements indulging in water theft,” Warkad said.Push for fodder literacy campaignNanded district administration has begun planting perennial Napier grass on nala bunds, silt-spread areas and wetlands as part of its fodder literacy campaign. At Sayal village in Loha taluka, Napier fodder was planted and livestock owners attended demonstrations on enriching poor-quality dry fodder and preparing mur-ghas, or silage.