The Times of India 01.08.2012
Chhagan Bhujbal turns down Nashik Municipal Corporation’s demand for more water
NASHIK: The city’s guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday vetoed the demand made by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) for additional quota of water from the Gangapur dam.
Coming down heavily against Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC)’s demand
that additional water from the Gangapur dam could be reserved for
drinking purposes, Bhujbal categorically ruled out any revision in the
decision and in turn asked the NMC to revise its own water distribution
system, while responding to a letter written by the NMC to him seeking
additional quota of water for the city. “Even today the crisis of water
scarcity has not blown over. The water storage in dams has barely
reached the 25% mark. Given the water that NMC draws round the year, it
is very clear that the corporation will not get any additional
reservation of water. In fact it will have to revise the water
distribution system and do all things things to ensure optimal water
supply,” Bhujbal said after visiting the Gangapur dam.
“The
issue of water should not be politicised. Whatever water is collected in
the dam will be distributed fairly. No one can demand additional
reservation of water and everybody will have to cooperate with each
other in the current situation,” Bhujbal said as he addressed the
scarcity review attended by revenue commissioner Ravindra Jadhav along officials from collectorate, NMC and the zilla parishad.
On the measures related to scarcity undertaken by the various
departments, the guardian minister additionally asked the officials to
focus on water conservation measures this year to ensure that next year
the availability of water was enhanced.
The minister asked the
rural water supply department to work in close coordination with the
respective departments to ensure that water supply was not affected at
any given time.
