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.