Water Supply Crisis Grips Nashik Villages Following Power Disconnection
More than 6,000 residents across 17 villages in Nashik's Sinnar taluka are facing a severe water supply crisis after the power supply to their regional water scheme was abruptly disconnected due to outstanding unpaid dues. The 22-village regional water supply scheme, which currently serves these 17 communities, has been completely shut down for the past five months, forcing villagers to rely solely on their individual and rapidly depleting local water resources.
Mounting Dues and Infrastructure Damage
Vilas Sangle, the gramsevak and secretary of the water supply scheme, revealed that the outstanding dues amount to a staggering Rs 36 lakh. "Efforts are being made to collect the money and settle the dues with the power supply company, but this process will take considerable time," Sangle explained. The situation is particularly critical as February typically marks the period when local water sources dry up, making villagers dependent on the regional scheme for drinking water sourced from the Bhojapur dam.
The crisis is compounded by two major issues: the substantial unpaid power bills and significant damage to the water supply pipelines. "Since the regional water supply scheme was executed by the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran and subsequently handed over to the committee of beneficiary villages, it has become the committee's responsibility to collect dues and ensure continuous water supply," Sangle stated.
Infrastructure Damage from Road Construction
Adding to the complexity, ongoing road construction work at Dapur—where the water filtration plant is located—has caused substantial damage to the water supply pipelines. This infrastructure damage has further crippled the already suspended water distribution system.
"We have approached Nashik MP Rajabhau Waje seeking intervention in this matter," Sangle reported. "He has directed the contractors to address the pipeline damage immediately and has asked Zilla Parishad officials to convene a meeting to resolve these pressing issues."
Financial Burden and Government Restrictions
The financial aspects of maintaining the water scheme present another significant challenge. The power is supplied through a high-tension connection with a fixed minimum monthly charge of Rs 54,000, and when operational, the monthly energy bill can escalate to approximately Rs 5 lakh. These substantial costs have proven difficult for local residents to sustain.
Ravindra Shinde, president of the scheme and sarpanch of Musalgaon, highlighted another critical restriction: "Since the scheme's construction, the government has prohibited water supply tankers from serving these villages, making Zilla Parishad intervention absolutely essential for any resolution."
Committee representatives are now organizing village meetings and actively seeking intervention from zilla parishad authorities to address both the financial dues and infrastructure problems. The situation remains urgent as thousands of residents face mounting water scarcity with their primary supply system completely non-functional.
