Irrigation minister: No plan to cut Pune’s water supply | Pune News – Times of India

0
154

[google-translator]

PUNE: State irrigation minister Jayant Patil said on Saturday that there was no plan to reduce water supply from dams to the city.
The irrigation department had sent a letter to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday informing about its plans to reduce water supply to the city starting this week. The move was opposed by various civic organisations and elected members.

Patil, while addressing media persons here, said no step would be taken to curtail water supply to the city from dams. He further said measures would be taken to provide adequate water to the 34 villages recently merged in the PMC limits so that these areas did not face water scarcity.
“Options such as construction of barrages are being explored to make available more water to Pune city and district up to Ujani considering increase in population and the growing demand for water. The figures of new census will be considered to work out water supply plan for the city. All the elected representatives and stakeholders will be taken into confidence while preparing the plan,” Patil said.
The minister claimed that the city’s water supply was cut when the BJP was in power in the state by shutting down the pumps that lift water for the city. “Altogether 11 letters threatening water cut were sent to the PMC when the BJP was ruling the state. Our government does not have such policy to cut city’s water,” he added.
The minister expressed the need to recycle water and release it for agriculture. He said, “Municipal corporations like Mumbai and Pune have already been asked to recycle water. The PMC has not utilised the finances allotted for water recycling projects. The projects have not been commissioned to full capacity. The tenders also have been delayed. The BJP is in power in the PMC for the last five years. It should explain the reasons behind the delay,” he said.
Meanwhile, mayor Muralidhar Mohol welcomed Patil’s announcement not to cut the city’s water supply. He said that the minister should explain why the letter was issued by the state irrigation department to the PMC stating that water would be cut with immediate effect.
Mohol said that steps were being taken to utilise water efficiently by reducing wastage and losses.
Irrigation department officials had said that as per the contract, 11TMC water has been allotted to the PMC. so around 900MLD to 950MLD should be lifted from Khadakwasla. But the civic body has been lifting 1,460MLD water from the dam, and between 180MLD and 200MLD from the Bhama Akshed dam.

Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here