Pune: Mayor Manjusha Nagpure on Tuesday announced that there would be no water cuts in the city until the end of May. Further decisions regarding water supply will be taken in the first week of June, based on the stock in dams and the monsoon forecast.
Joint Meeting with PMC and Irrigation Department
The mayor's announcement came after a joint meeting held on Tuesday with officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the irrigation department. The meeting discussed the city's daily water requirement, the ground situation, and the current storage in dams. Nagpure stated that the irrigation department had urged PMC to reduce water usage in the backdrop of a possible impact of El Niño.
Water Stock and Supply
Nagpure highlighted that the dams currently have more water stock compared to the last three years. The city draws 1,650 MLD (million liters per day) of water, approximately 1.65 TMC (thousand million cubic feet), every month. The administration is taking steps to improve supply and reduce leakages. "We will wait till May-end to take a further call on water supply. We will also get the latest forecast on monsoon by then," she said.
Appeal for Judicious Water Use
The mayor appealed to citizens to use water judiciously and avoid wastage. "People must take necessary measures to avoid wastage. I appeal to women especially to implement the 'no running taps' initiative at home to make sure taps don't stay running and waste water," she said. Nagpure also addressed the irrigation department's claims regarding PMC's pending water bills and arrears. She said details had been sought from the irrigation department, and the civic body would provide a technical explanation in return.
Use of Automatic Meters to Check Usage
The mayor instructed the administration to use automatic water meters to obtain readings on water usage. "Citizens will not have to pay any charges based on the readings. The exercise is intended to observe usage," she clarified. The administration is installing automatic meters under the equitable water supply project to monitor the usage of every connection.
Elaborate Arrangements for Palkhi Procession
During the meeting, Nagpure also reviewed preparations for the annual Palkhi procession. She directed the administration to make elaborate arrangements for the event, with a focus on offering all necessary services to warkaris (pilgrims), especially adequate shelters.
