Kolhapur: The challenges facing the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) Water Supply Department are mounting as local river levels continue to recede rapidly. With the Kalammawadi direct pipeline scheme already shut down due to declining water levels, the city’s Nagdevwadi pumping station was also forced to stop operations on Monday evening following a drop in the Bhogavati river.
The crisis has been further compounded by the falling levels of the Panchganga river, which led to the halting of one pump at the Shingnapur pumping station. As a result, Kolhapur and its suburban areas are receiving water at significantly low pressure, complicating the KMC’s efforts to maintain a stable supply. Although an alternate-day supply schedule is already in place, many citizens were forced on Tuesday to fill their containers by hiring private water tankers.
Aarti Chougale, a resident of Shivaji Peth, said, “With inflation at an all-time high, we are now forced to pay for private water tankers to fill our storage tanks. This is a significant financial burden. The KMC must plan the water supply more effectively.”
In response to the shortage, the KMC deployed its own fleet of water tankers on Tuesday, focusing particularly on slum pockets where the scarcity is most acute.
Harshjit Ghatge, a water supply engineer with the KMC, said, “In coordination with the water resources department, 600 cusecs of water has been released from the Radhanagari dam into the Bhogavati river, a tributary of the Panchganga. We expect the Shingnapur Dam to reach its full capacity by midnight of June 16. Once that happens, we will take the necessary steps to ensure a smoother supply throughout the day.”
Meanwhile, the municipal corporation is struggling to clear silt that is obstructing the direct pipeline project at Kalammawadi Dam. “We are using two earth-moving machines to remove silt from the route leading to the project’s jackwell. However, because the water level has dropped so drastically and silt is widespread, the chances of drawing water from this source in the immediate future remain slim,” Ghatge added.
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