Pune Municipal Corporation Confronts Water Supply Crisis in General Body Session
Irregular water supply dominated the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body meeting on Wednesday, with corporators cutting across party lines expressing strong concerns over the issue and the significant hardship it was causing to residents. Taking note of the escalating problem, mayor Manjusha Nagpure directed officials to conduct meetings at all 15 ward offices, with corporators in attendance, to discuss and work out possible solutions to the persistent water shortage.
Widespread Complaints Over Contaminated and Disrupted Water Services
Several corporators voiced serious complaints about contaminated water supply and demanded urgent replacement of old drainage and water pipelines. Corporator and former mayor Vaishali Bankar highlighted a critical issue, stating, "Drinking water was mixing with sewage in the Hadapsar area," underscoring the health risks involved. Yerawada corporator Ashwini Landge added that residents were not only receiving contaminated water but were also being supplied water at midnight, causing further frustration and inconvenience.
Representatives from various areas reported specific problems: corporators from Undri-Mohammadwadi noted that overhead tanks were ready but water supply had still not commenced, while those from Janata Vasahat demanded immediate repair of drainage lines. In the Kondhwa-Kausarbaug area, water supply had been severely affected for the past 15 days, and Ambegaon reported low-pressure supply issues.
Merged Areas Face Severe Water Scarcity and Financial Burden
Corporators from merged areas, including Hardas Charvad, Dilip Wede Patil, and Sandip Beldare, raised the issue of extremely poor water availability, forcing residents to spend substantial amounts on water tankers. This financial burden exacerbates the already dire situation in these regions.
PMC Officials Respond with Updates and Future Plans
Nandkishor Jagtap, head of PMC's water supply department, addressed some concerns, explaining that supply issues in Kondhwa-Kausarbaug were caused by faults in the water lines, which have since been fixed. He also provided updates on other areas: "Fourteen overhead tanks in Undri-Mohammadwadi were ready, and remaining work should be completed within a month." Jagtap added that detailed project reports had been prepared to improve water supply in the 32 merged areas at an estimated cost of Rs 3,500 crore.
Congress member Arvind Shinde emphasized the need for proactive measures, recalling that ward-wise meetings used to take place before every summer to discuss water supply-related problems. "The meetings should be called at the earliest," he urged, highlighting the importance of timely action.
PMC Addresses Water Dues Dispute with State Irrigation Department
In a related development, the Pune Municipal Corporation is unlikely to face a cutoff in the city's water supply, despite an ongoing dispute with the state irrigation department over outstanding dues of Rs 932 crore. During the general body meeting, municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram stated, "The matter will be taken up with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. State government's intervention has already been sought and discussions are needed to reach a resolution."
The irrigation department had earlier warned of halting water supply if the dues were not cleared. However, the municipal commissioner clarified that PMC found the department's calculations unacceptable and had already raised the issue with the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) for further review and mediation.
Urgent Repairs Cause Supply Disruptions in Multiple Areas
In a separate development, urgent repairs to a leaking water pipeline near SNDT have led to supply disruptions in several areas, including Shivajinagar, Kothrud, Prabhat Road, SB Road, Bhandarkar Road, and Gokhalenagar, as confirmed by PMC's water supply department. These disruptions add to the ongoing challenges faced by residents across Pune.
