Pune: Despite the assurance given by Water Resource Minister Girish Mahajan to Mayor Mukta Tilak, the Khadakwasla division of the Irrigation Department has not restored the water supply of 1,150 million litre per day (MLD) to Pune city. Because of this, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started imposing water cuts in the city. Many parts of the city are getting inadequate and irregular water supply.
On Wednesday, the Khadakwasla division had released 1,150 MLD water to the PMC by stopping one water pump out of three pumps which lift water from Khadakwasla dam. It had hampered Pune city’s water supply on Thursday. After the intervention of Mukta Tilak, the Irrigation Department released 1,350 MLD water and regularised the water supply. However, it was done only on that day. Now, Khadakwasla division is releasing 1,150 MLD water to the city. Because of this water supply to the eastern parts of the city such as Hadapsar, Vishrantwadi, Wadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar, Chandan Nagar, Yerawada, Dhanori, Kalas, Lohegaon is badly affected. While other part of the city is receiving water with low pressure.
Chief Superintendent of Water Supply Department VG Kulkarni said, “Only on Thursday, the Khadakwasla division released 1,350 MLD water after that they are giving us 1,150 MLD water which was decided in the Canal Committee meeting last week.
“Because of this, we are facing problems in supplying adequate water to the eastern part of the city. We have prepared a plan of the city based on 1,150 MLD water. However, we have also requested the Irrigation Department to give us time to implement the new plan after Diwali as people will face problems during the festival,” Kulkarni further added.
Siddharth Dhende, Deputy Mayor of Pune who represents Nagpur Chawl area which falls in the eastern part of the city, said, “We haven’t received water since last two days. We spoke to the Water Supply Department but they showed helplessness due to less water released by Khadakwasla dam. Now, we have decided to use pressure tactics to regularise the city’s water supply.”
Bapusaheb Kamble, a resident of Wadgaon Sheri, said, “We received water with low pressure on Thursday night while on Friday, there was no water. We had to stay at one of our relatives’ house because of lack of water. I don’t understand what is going on in the city. We read in the paper that there is sufficient water in dams which supplies water to Pune city then what is a point in reducing water supply?”
Water woes
Water supply to the eastern parts of the city such as Hadapsar, Vishrantwadi, Wadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar, Chandan Nagar, Yerawada, Dhanori, Kalas and Lohegaon is badly affected.
