PUNE: The state irrigation department has put preconditions before the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in lieu of additional water from the Khadakwasla reservoir. The department wants the civic body to bear the expenses of around Rs 1,000 crore for construction of a direct tunnel from Khadakwasla to Phursungi and also to recycle 10.90 TMC water and release it for irrigation.

The PMC had recently demanded additional water allocation, considering the growing population of the city. In response, the irrigation department had said, "There is no possibility of a new dam in the Khadakwasla reservoir system since this will have a drastic impact on the Ujjani dam water. It is a necessary obligation to use the Khadakwasla water with more efficiency."

The assistant superintendent engineer of the Pune irrigation circle in a letter to the chief engineer of the Pune irrigation circle has said that any additional quota of water for Pune city should be allocated only if the PMC abides by conditions put forward by the department.

The irrigation department has insisted that a 17-km-long underground tunnel from Khadakwasla reservoir to Phursungi be built as suggested by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. This project would need funds in the range of Rs 1,000 crore.

"The direct tunnel could save wastage of about 2.50-3 TMC water. The wastage is due to the open canal system. Once the tunnel replaces the canal, the saved water could be directed for Pune city's use. As the saved water will be used by the PMC, it becomes mandatory on the PMC to bear the expenses incurred for the construction of the tunnel," said the letter, a copy of which is with TOI.

A few months ago, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had said that the PMC cannot shoulder the expenses and, hence, once the tunnel is ready, the land of the existing canal could be used to generate transfer of development rights (TDR). The three crore square feet TDR thus generated, could be used for new constructions. Pawar had added that the chief minister should intervene since the canal land falls under water bodies and, as per the urban development department rules, it cannot be used to generate TDR.

The civic administration has said the irrigation department's proposals will be tabled before the civic standing committee and the General Body. "The standing committee has already approved the proposal that the contract terms and conditions put forward by the irrigation department should be brought to the notice of elected representatives," said a civic official.