PUNE: The State government has given the right to decide non-irrigation bulk water yearly volumetric quota to the canal committee secretary of the dam irrigation divisions across Maharashtra.
Earlier, the district guardian ministers used to decide the quota.
For Pune, the Khadakwasla canal committee secretary will decide the water quota. Hence, there will be no political interference in the decision making.
Last week, Maharashtra Water Resource Department Deputy Secretary Atul Kapole issued guidelines to all dam irrigation divisions saying the river basin-wise capable officer is the authority to decide yearly volumetric quota of non-irrigation water use. Now, as per the Maharashtra State Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MSWRRA) order, the State government has decided to decentralise the power to decide water quota.
According to the guidelines, the district guardian ministers will have no right to decide the water of their districts. The dam irrigation division superintendent engineer is secretary of the canal committee, who calls the canal committee meeting under the chairmanship of the district guardian minister. The committee holds the meeting twice a year to decide the water quota supplied from dam water for the irrigation, industrial and drinking purposes.
The Khadakwasla Irrigation Division of Pune Circle will supply water to Pune from the four dams: Khadakwasla, Temghar, Varasgaon and Panshet. Its Pune Circle Executive Engineer PB Shelar told Sakal Times, “According MSWRRA, the division will decide the water quota of Pune. However, the final approval will be given by MSWRRA. The district guardian minister can give suggestions to the canal committee.”
Last year, Pune District Guardian Minister Girish Bapat allegedly messed up while deciding the Pune water quota, resulting in water cuts for the city.
PMC SEEKS 17.5 TMC WATER
The water supply agreement between the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the State Water Resource Department’s Khadakwasla Irrigation division of Pune Circle ended on February 24, 2019. Later, the Irrigation Division extended the agreement by six months, which also ended on August 31, 2019. The Khadakwasla Irrigation Division officials said they are working on a new agreement. In the meanwhile, they will supply water as per the old agreement.
Meanwhile, the PMC Water Supply Department demanded an increase in water quota from 11.5 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) to 17.5 TMC based on updated population figure. The PMC has 52 lakh population.
Shelar said, “Though the PMC has demanded 17.5 TMC water, we cannot supply that much as we do not have excess water. We will provide 11.5 TMC water to them. Besides, the PMC is taking 2.65 TMC water from Bhama-Askhed dam, which takes the water quota to 14.15 TMC. It is sufficient for the city. However, MSWRRA is the final authority to approve any additional water quota.”
