The Indian Express                26.04.2013

PMC prepares list of no-water-supply areas

The list of areas where water would not be supplied until civic water projects are completed.

Plan to stay until water supply is augmented, tough to meet demand in developing areas, says civic chief.

Citizens planning to buy properties need to be cautious and
consult the list the Pune Municipal Corporation, struggling to meet the
water demand of an expanding city, has prepared. The list shows areas
where no water will be supplied until the situation improves through
steps like new purification plants. On the other hand, the civic
administration has recommended legalising water connections of illegal
structures to cut revenue loss and ensure proper distribution plan.

The civic administration proposal tabled in the standing
committee suggested changes to the water policy for new water
connections, and legalising unauthorised connections. “As many as 23
villages have been included in PMC jurisdiction and a lot of
construction is going on there. It is getting difficult to meet water
demand of newly developing areas and the civic body is unable to supply
water to a few of them,” said Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak in
the proposal.

He said all proposed building projects would be provided 40 litre
per capita per day (LPCD) water and developers should meet further
needs through borewells, wells, rainwater harvesting or recycled water
from sewage treatment plants. The policy decision would continue until
the proposed supply from Bhama Askhed Dam comes through and new
purification centres at Parvati and Vadgaon are set up.

“Areas in the civic jurisdiction that get limited water will not
get water until these civic water projects are completed. It would be
applicable to the 28 more villages proposed to be included in PMC area.
The civic body will not be responsible for water supply to these areas
until the proposed water purification project in the nearby area is
completed,” Pathak said.

Parts of Mohammadwadi, Hadapsar, Kondhwa Khurd, Kharadi,
Lohegaon, Undri, Balewadi and Baner are on the list of areas where water
would not be supplied. PMC has also prepared a list of areas where
water supply would be limited to 40 LPCD and they include parts of
Mohammadwadi, Hadapsar, Kondhwa Khurd, Vadgaonsheri, Lohegaon, Dhayari,
Vadgaon Khurd, Vadgaon Budhruk, Hingane, Kondhwa Budhruk, Katraj,
Dhankawadi Ambegaon, Dattanagar, Balewadi, Baner and Pashan.

Talking about illegal water connections, Pathak said, “PMC action on
illegal water connections has failed due to resistance from residents.
Besides, illegal connections which are plugged crop up again. They lead
to financial loss for PMC as there is no record of illegal connections,”
he said, adding it also throws water distribution plans awry. The state
government has directed all civic bodies to either legalise illegal
water connections or discontinue supply, he said, but added that the
primary duty of the civic body is to provide water to citizens.

“It would be proper to provide water to illegal structures like
other services. The water connections at illegal structures should be
regularised at higher cost. The efforts to check illegal construction
should not be linked to water supply and should be handled
independently,” he said.

PMC will also take up installation of water meters for every new
water connection to cover the entire water supply system as per JNNURM
norms.