Indian Express 13.09.2010
Raining good news: Dams full, officials say no more water cuts
Express News Service Tags : monsoon, raining good news Posted: Mon Sep 13 2010, 07:40 hrs Updated: Mon Sep 13 2010, 07:41 hrs
Pune: As the rains have taken a break for the past couple of days, the sizeable downpour last week has filled the dams that provide water to the city. The aggregate water in the four dams — Khadakwasla, Panshet, Warasgaon and Temghar — has crossed 90 per cent. The citizens can heave a sigh of relief as officials have promised that there would be no water cuts.While the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams are almost full, the other two have water storage above 70 per cent. “Thanks to a good spell of rains over the past few days, all the dams have a sound water storage. The aggregate water storage in the four dams together is now approximately 92 per cent. While Khadakwasla and Panshet are almost full, Temghar is 75 per cent and Warasgaon 88 per cent full. The total capacity of the dams is 29 TMC and the storage is 26.5 TMC now. We need another spell of good rains to fill them to the brim,” said SN Bolbhat, executive engineer of Khadakwasla Irrigation Division. “In August, rains had filled the dams only between 60 and 65 per cent. We got another spell in the first week and the situation improved immediately.”
The situation in the neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad is also good, as the Pavana dam that provides water to the industrial township is 100 per cent full. Pimpri-Chinchwad, which has a population of over 15 lakh, gets water from the dam located about 50 km away. Unlike the Pune Municipal Corporation, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation had not effected any water cut. Other dams in the district also provide a good picture in terms of water availability as Chaskaman, Wadivale, Bhatghar, Vir, Ujani and a few more dams are 100 per cent full. The Mulshi dam, one of the popular hangouts of Puneites, is almost 97 per cent full.
The rains had given a miss in June and July, compelling the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to implement water cut for a few days. Avinash Surve, superintending engineer of the Pune Irrigation Circle, said there was no need of any water cuts in the city with the improvement in water storage. “Right now, there is no water cut. Since the water storage is good, there is no need of water cuts in future also.”
