Pune: Finally, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to curtail water supply in the city. On the pretext of proper planning of water distribution, the ruling BJP has imposed water cuts from Monday next week.
The city will get water supply for five hours once daily at high pressure in various parts at convenient timings.
On Tuesday, Mayor Mukta Tilak held a meeting of all political leaders along with Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao and Water Supply Department officials. Later, she announced the new water supply schedule from Monday onwards till end of July 2019. The PMC had earlier planned to impose cuts from Diwali. However, it has preponed the new water supply plan.
Addressing the media, Tilak said, “Elected members and citizens were raising concerns about inadequate and erratic water supply for the past few days. It was also said that some city parts are getting water twice a day while others are getting once daily. Now, we have made a plan in consultation with the water supply officials to provide equal and adequate water supply once a day. From Monday, the PMC will implement the new water supply timetable, under which all areas will get water supply for five hours daily.”
She said, “Slum areas will get water during the day while housing societies with underground tanks will get water at night. Though we have reduced the hours of water supply, it will be supplied at high pressure to ensure there is no reduction in water supply.”
Rao said, “It is not a water cut but a proper planning of water distribution. The new timetable doesn’t mean a reduction in the quantity of water supply. We will make sure that water pressure is high so that there will be no reduction in the quantity of water. We have made zone-wise planning of water distribution.”
Rao claimed that the civic body has planned to complete the closed pipeline work between the Parvati pumping station and the Cantonment pumping station by November 10. It will help in reducing water loss up to 150 MLD.”
Earlier this month, the State WRD had decided to reduce the city’s water supply by around 200 MLD. A meeting of the canal committee was held in Mumbai in the presence of district Guardian Minister Girish Bapat and Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, which decided to reduce water supply from 1,350 MLD per day to 1,150 MLD per day.
