Indian Express 24.08.2009
PMC fails to enforce 30 pc water cut
The State Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar’s directive to cut the city’s water supply by 30 per cent to ensure regular supply during the rest of the year have apparently not been implemented.
Pune has been getting reprieve from 30 per cent water cut at the moment, as the PMC has not carried out the minister’s directive
Normally the city needs 1005 million litres of drinking water per day. As the PMC has not been able to implement the cut entirely, the city is even now getting upto 900 MLD of water, with the cut being only around 10 per cent.
The water supply is routed through Khadakwasla pipeline (60 per cent) and the irrigation canal (40 per cent). In June, when the irrigation department announced a 40 per cent water cut, water supply from Khadakwasla Irrigation Canal was stopped. It cannot do so now because of a drought-like situation. Farmers need “protected irrigation” to save their crops, according to Union Agriculture Ministry instructions.
Senior PMC officials, however, admitted that they were drawing water from the canal for the city’s drinking water supply as usual. Irrigation officials said they have left it to the PMC to implement the water cut. “PMC has to apply the water cut. They have to use less water,” said Avinash Surve, superintending officer, Khadakwasla Irrigation System.
The water flow in Khadakwasla canal continues to be 1100 cusecs. Senior Irrigation officials said they had not lowered the gates at Parvati water works to reduce rate of water as they do not want to jeopardise the PMC’s ongoing planning. “It will take a few days for them to draw a new time table for the water cut and plan its implementation,” said Shivaji Bolbhat, executive engineer, Khadakwasla Irrigation System. “We have a certain quota for the corporation. We will not be able to supply more water later if they use up their quota now,” he added.
“If we are getting more water, it is better for the city. Our policy has been to supply as much water as possible,” said PMC Commissioner Mahesh Zagade. “It is based on demand and supply; if it rains in the next few days, the situation will change,” said Zagade.
Usually by August 15 the reservoirs are full. This year they are only 70 per cent full. Even as the city received rainfall, the catchment areas have gone dry for over two weeks, making no addition to reservoirs.
