The Times of India 03.08.2013
NMC needs 2 days to roll back water cut
NASHIK: Despite the announcement by the standing committee of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday that upto 20% water cut in the city will be rolled back from Friday, the civic administration sought two days' time to make arrangements for the same. The water cut is now to be rolled back from Monday.
The city requires around 14 million cubic feet (mcft) of water per day. After the cut, 12 mcft water was being supplied per day. After the rollback on the water cut from Monday, the supply will be resumed to 14 mcft.
Ramesh Dhongade, chairman of the NMC standing committee, had directed the civic administration on Thursday to roll back the existing water cut immediately from Friday. But civic officials on Friday sought two more days for the process, citing logistics as the reason for the time required. "We will have to form a policy on water. After having rolled back the water cut, we will have to decide the phases for supplying water in all six divisions of the NMC. At some places, we will have to supply water in the morning, while we will have to supply water in other places in the evening. More time will be required to make the time-table for water distribution in the city," said U K Dharmadhikari, executive engineer (water distribution) of the NMC.
The civic body had imposed a 10% daily cut in water supply from February 15 and once-a-week dry day every Tuesday from February 19 in all six divisions of the city - Nashik East, Nashik West, Nashik Road, Panchavati, Cidco and Satpur. However, following opposition from citizens against the dry day, the NMC started providing water once a day on all days of the week, with 15-20% water cuts, from March 18.
Nashik municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare on Tuesday had already announced that the civic administration had decided to roll back the water cut from August 5.
"We have already directed the civic administration to roll back the water cut and they have sought time for two days to make the arrangements. The water level in the Gangapur dam, the main source of drinking water for city, has increased a lot and over 5,000 cusecs of water has been released from the Gangapur dam. At this juncture, why shouldn't the water cut be rolled back in the city? This was the reason I had directed the civic administration to roll back the existing water cut immediately from Friday," Dhongade told TOI on Friday.
"Our mayor Yatin Wagh was also out of the city and it was necessary to take a decision on the water cut. The decision of water cut was taken following discussions with Wagh," Dhongade said.
"We will require time to make arrangements for the rollback. Water supply to the city will be regularised from Monday," said a senior NMC official.
Continuous spells of good rain has increased the water level in the Gangapur group of dams - Gangapur, Kashyapi and Gautami Godavari - from 4,219 mcft to 6,793 mcft, over the past 25 days, which is 73% of the total capacity. The Gangapur group of dams is the main source of water supply to the city.
The water level of the Gangapur dam, which has a total capacity of 5,630 mcft, was recorded at 4,666 mcft on Friday (83% of total capacity) as against 1,858 mcft (35% of total capacity) on the corresponding day last year. The level in Kashyapi, which has a total capacity of 1,852 mcft, was recorded at 1,010 mcft, which is 55% of the total capacity. The water stock in the dam was 472 mcft (25% of total capacity) on the corresponding day last year. The water level in Gautami Godavari, which has a capacity of 1,883 mcft, was recorded at 1,117 mcft on Friday (59% of total capacity) as compared to 329 mcft (17% of total capacity) on the same day last year.
"There is no need of the water cut in Nashik: the civic administration's supply is adequate and we are fortunate to get abundant water, compared to regions like Marathwada. Nashikites should exercise water discipline and use water carefully," said Sonali Khairnar, a housewife.
"Water tankers are still being used in parts of the city, like Hirawadi. If the Gangapur dam is filled over 80% and thousands of cusecs of water are being released in the river Godavari, why shouldn't the civic administration roll back the water cut?" said 58-year-old citizen S K Mathur.
