The Times of India    01.08.2012

 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.