Pune: No Water Cuts for Punekars This Summer, Assures Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil
Pune residents can breathe a sigh of relief as Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil confirmed that there will be no water cuts in the city this summer. The decision comes after a review of the current water storage capacity at the Khadakwasla project, which remains sufficient to meet Pune’s needs.
During a canal committee meeting held on Saturday, Minister Vikhe Patil announced that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will receive 21 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water. This includes the approved 11.60 TMC from the Water Resources Department and an additional 7.95 TMC that the PMC has been lifting as usual. Additionally, 1 TMC of water will be released from Bhama Askhed Dam and 0.60 TMC from Pawana Dam to ensure adequate supply.
The meeting, attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, MPs, MLAs, and officials from the municipal and water resources departments, focused on water planning for Pune city and rural areas. Vikhe Patil also addressed the issue of excess water usage by the PMC, stating that the corporation will pay Rs 200 crore in arrears for the additional water by the end of March.
Siddharth Shirole, MLA from Pune, emphasized the importance of equitable water distribution and urged the government to ensure that rural areas are not neglected. He highlighted the need for long-term planning to address the growing water demands of Pune’s increasing population. Shirole also called for transparency in water usage data and urged the PMC to adopt water conservation measures to avoid future shortages.
Despite concerns about water usage in rural areas due to the PMC’s excess consumption, Vikhe Patil emphasized the need to provide additional water to Pune, considering its growing population. A joint meeting with the Water Resources Department and PMC officials is scheduled next week to resolve the issue.
