Boon for PMC to own Bhama Askhed

Boon for PMC to own Bhama Askhed

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has the option to take ownership of the Bhama Askhed dam, which is more than 40 kilometres away from Pune city. 

According to PMC officials, the State Water Resources Department had offered the PMC the option to own the Bhama Askhed dam in the year 2014, when the PMC started the project to fetch water from the dam to Pune city to meet the needs of the population in the eastern parts of the city. 

While speaking to Sakal Times, a senior official of the PMC Water Supply Department said, “The corporation had demanded 2.64 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC) water from PMC’s Bhama Askhed water supply project. At that time, the Water Resources Department quoted the price of Rs 1,200 crore to get ownership of the dam. However, we had not thought of ownership of the dam at that time. Officials included amount of construction of dam and rehabilitation cost.” 

“Now, the corporation has laid a pipeline from Bhama Askhed dam to Kharadi in the eastern part of the city. The project has reached its completion. After that, the PMC will get 2.64 TMC ft water from the dam through the pipeline,” he added.  

According to PMC officials, Bhama Askhed dam is the only one which the PMC can own. It is the only dam where the Water Resources Department hasn’t developed the canal system. So, water is used only for drinking purpose. There are no other stakeholders such as agriculture or industry. 

Bhama Askhed dam has capacity of 8.70 TMC. Out of that, two TMC water is provided to nearby villages for drinking purpose. After completion of project, the PMC will get 2.64 TMC. If PMC owns the dam, it will get more water for drinking. 

Right now, the PMC is getting water from four dams: Panshet, Varasgaon, Khadakwasla and Temghar. However, the Water Resources Department has set the quota for Pune city at 11.5  TMC per year and it has to be paid for.  

Despite the set quota, the PMC is taking more water, leading to conflict between Khadakwasla Division officials and the PMC. People have to suffer and face water cuts frequently. There is another conflict of rural versus Pune city as water from all these four dams meet the needs of rural parts of Pune district. Besides that, Khadakwasla Irrigation Division has to provide water for agriculture and industry sectors also. City gets many advantages by owning Bhama Askhed dam. 

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