Pune: Water woes turn serious, district administration issues prohibitory orders near Khadakwasla Canal

Pune: Three persons were recently arrested for extracting water illegally from the Khadakwasla Canal.

Responding to the incident and to further prevent water theft from the canal, the district administration has prohibited the assembly of four or more people wide an order under section 144 near the canal area.

The orders prohibit assembly of four or more people within an area up to 50 meters on both sides of the canal from Khadakwasla to Indapur to prevent water theft amidst the ongoing water scarcity.

According to the Khadakwasla irrigation division of the state water resource department, three farmers were arrested on Tuesday in Shirsuphal villages next to Khadakwasla’s right canal for illegally drawing water from the canal.

Due to a significant decrease in water storage compared to the previous year, the Khadakwasla dam began releasing summer water on April 4. Despite this, unauthorised water extraction was observed along the canal to Indapur.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, Shewta Khurhade, the executive engineer of the Khadakwasla irrigation division, said, “During inspection along with sub-division officer of Baramati, Vaibhav Navadkar and police officials of Baramati of right bank of canal area, we found that illegal water extraction was going on by opening the gate at Varwand and Bhigwan. Therefore, the superintendent engineer of Pune Irrigation Department Sunanda Jagtap requested the collector Dr Suhas Diwase to take precautionary measures to curb illegal water lifting.”

As per Sunanda Jagtap, Diwase has ordered the concerned tehsildars to apply Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 144 in an area of 50 meters on both sides in the area of 202 km in order to ensure proper use of water and prevent misuse.

It has also been ordered to set up teams to stop unauthorised water extraction.

A senior official from the Khadakwasla division mentioned that the situation is manageable despite lower water levels in dams as compared to last year. Water is being released through canals for farming and drinking purposes.