WATER SCARCITY IN URBAN AREAS OF PUNE.

There is a non-inclusion of ground water subject as a source of water in the urban policy-making & legislation. The focus is only on surface water. As a result, there is unregulated, uncontrolled extraction by building contractors, private water tanker operators running parallel water distribution system. Other water bodies, sources apart from the dams, are being ignored and no development and conservation of these sources such as lakes, rivers are being done in the urban areas of Pune district.
Just as the basic food grains are being supplied through public distribution system, then the necessity of domestic use water be also regulated and supplied through regulated channel and managed by the local authorities.
There appears to be no water audit conducted by an independent agency by the local bodies in context to urban regions of Pune district to ascertain actual supply and losses due to various reasons.
Satya Muley - Advocate - Bombay High Court - Speaking on behalf of the Petitioners " Pune district has four dams in the district itself, Khadakwasla, Panshet, Temghar and Varasgaon. All the dams have been filled due to monsoon rains for all the past 5 years and thus the water scarcity in the urban areas of Pune District is an artificial scarcity. In any organized society, right to live as a human being is not ensured by meeting only the animal needs of man. It is secured only when he is assured of all facilities to develop himself and is freed from restrictions that inhibit his growth. All human rights are designed to achieve this object. Right to live guaranteed in any civilized society implies the right to food, water, decent environment, education, medical care, and shelter. These are basic human and fundamental rights known to any civilized society. Water is Life! It is a pity that residents of urban areas of Pune district are forced to approach the judiciary for such a basic need"

" One of the key prayers in the PIL is to seek directions from the Hon’ble High Court against the local authorities to supply 135 lphd through their pipelines or any other alternative method on an immediate basis as it is their fundamental duty under the constitution of India" Advocate Satya Muley said.
Satya Muley -Advocate – Bombay High Court on behalf of the Petitioners - satya@muley.net / 7028005951

Petitioners Statements:

Wagholi is the worst affected area as far as Water is concerned. Exploited by the unregulated tanker mafia and squeezed by the system. Wagholi Grampanchayat in the pre-PMC era had only 25 lacs liter of water to supply in Wagholi with a population of over 2lacs.
Despite knowing all this, the system never supported citizens. Sanctions and completions to housing projects continued without having a check on the proper water sourcing by builders. If the system itself is handicapped, where should the common people go?
Mr. Nitin Kumar Jain, Director of Wagholi Housing Societies Association. 93701 16228

Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchyat has participated in this PIL because number of builders have given water affidavits and PMC, PCMC and PMRDA has given permission for construction of flats, multistory buildings but actually non of the builder can provide water on his own as he can not take work of construction of dams. Builder can not do infrastructure development for water pipelines from dams as well without permission and cooperation of these bodies as the land belongs to govt or private people between dams to project.
All these bodies are taking huge amounts on the name of development charges but actually, they are not providing the basic need of water lines with water. They should not have given permission for new construction without suitable infrastructure.
The consumers have been forced to take water tankers and lakhs of rupees have to be spent by them for taking water tankers. The city-based infrastructure development should have been shifted to Village based infrastructure development for new jobs.
As the industrial belts have been developed in and around city the problems of city have increased. After some 5 to 10 years there will be war on the water among people. There should be a permanent solution for water provision. No permission for new construction has to be given for multi-story buildings in the city. Even in the name of development, only buildings have been constructed but for energy, water, waste management no infrastructure has been developed.
Mr.Vijay Ganapati Sagar ,Sanghatak of Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat ,9422502315

From Asia's richest municipal corporation and most sought-after destination to poorest in providing basic services.. PCMC's journey is most uncalled for..
PCMC with declared water losses of 40%+ is most shameful condition for any citizen to face..
despite having maximum allocation of water quota residents are supplied with alternative day water..
Mr. Dattatray Deshmukh from PCMC housing societies federation. 77740 30771

We are facing an acute shortage of water supply from PMC and have to pay a fortune for buying water from private water tankers.
We fear to imagine what will happen when Maharashtra faces a drought ? Water bodies like Pashan lake ,Ramnadi and Devnadi are encroached and polluted. There is no contingency planning by goverment authorities.
Rajendra Chuttar, President, Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust- 9890129103

While number of approvals granted for construction of high rise buildings in Balewadi & Pune Municipal Corporation failed to discharge constitutional duties to provide water
Today more than 1.5 cr is spent per month on tankers by Balewadi societies & hence Balewadi residents societies welfare Fedaration has to join for filing Public interest litigation before Bombay High Court
Mr. Ramesh Rokade – Chairman - Balewadi Welfare Federation. 98239 42779

Stark reality about mismanagement of supply & demand by PMC hits hard especially now. When dams have had sufficient rainfall, one sees increase of water tankers on the roads. When Pune was facing near drought situation, not many tankers were seen. Question is .... if PMC can load tankers at a cost to end user, why not supply directly to end user through pipelines as water is billed through property tax bill?
Qaneez Sukhrani. Convenor Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum. Mobile 8975856782 / 9822056782

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Satya Muley
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