Water scarcity in PMC and PCMC

PUNE: Divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao on Thursday directed civic officials to visit localities facing water shortage, prepare detailed reports on planned measures and ensure use of only treated water at construction sites to tide over the supply issues in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.

The directions followed a meeting with Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad residents on inadequate supply on Thursday.

The meeting was the first under the Rao-led committee, which was formed on the orders of the Bombay HC. "The committee will meet every month to take stock of water availability and measures by PMC and PCMC," Rao said.

Exhorting both the civic bodies to initiate long- and short-term measures to improve water supply to various areas, Rao said the number of complaints hinted at supply mismanagement.

Over 30 people, including representatives of various federations, attended the meeting. Satya Muley, who had approached HC on behalf of housing societies, said municipal corporations should employ necessary measures to provide adequate water to each citizen. "Thursday's meeting is just the beginning. We will keep following the water-related issues with the civic administrations. We want the authorities to work towards improving water supply in all areas of both the cities," Muley said.

The residents also demanded both the civic bodies to fix charges of water supplied by private tankers. "There is no regulation on private tankers, who charge hefty money for supplying poor quality of water. PMC should hold a meeting with private tanker operators and fix the charges. PMC also needs to control the construction activities till water supply improves," Vijay Sagar of Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat said.

The residents from Pashan, Undri, Holkarwadi, Mohammadwadi, Ambegaon, Phursungi, Uruli and Wagholi put forth their grievances during the Thursday meeting. Ambegaon resident Nirmala Thormote said the residents of the area were facing poor supply in spite of being under PMC jurisdiction for several years. Ambegaon was brought into the PMC limits in 2017.

Nandkishor Jagtap, head of the PMC's water supply department, said, "We will conduct spot visits to understand the issues. The department will work out immediate solutions for areas like Mohammadwadi, Pashan and Ambegaon. The administration is working on water supply projects for Wagholi-Lohegaon, Undri, Sus-Mhalunge and other merged areas."

Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh said all necessary steps were being taken pertaining to adequate water supply.

Satya Muley
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