Water cuts in Pune likely to get stricter post-Diwali as PMC mulls various options

Pune: Stricter curbs than the ongoing once-weekly water cuts are expected in the city after Diwali this year, with the civic administration currently mulling various options that will allow proper management of available stock till Aug 2027.A revised plan of water cuts will be finalised at a meeting of all-party leaders in PMC soon, to be chaired by city mayor Manjusha Nagpure.Calculations on water supply to PMC till Aug 2027 were expedited on Friday, after Thursday’s Khadakwasla canal committee meeting, where it was decided that the city would get 13 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water till then. The civic administration, however, is seeking clarification from the irrigation department on the exact quantum of water the civic body will receive for the next 10 months, as it has consumed around 6 TMC water in the last four months.Sources from the civic body insisted the city should get 13 TMC for the next 10 months as dams currently hold around 24 TMC. “There is no need to take into account the 6.3 TMC that PMC has already consumed in the last four months while calculating the allotted quota for months ahead. If the earlier 6.3 TMC is considered, PMC would get just 7 TMC till Aug. Elected representatives must clear these doubts, else the stock with which the city will have to manage is very less,” said an official, requesting anonymity.Citizens’ group Sajag Nagrik Manch (SNM) has also sought clarification on water quota allotted to PMC. Vivek Velankar of SNM, “Dams supplying to the city are holding 24 TMC of water. If the city is set to get only 7 TMC for the next 10 months, how does the rest of it get accounted for? We need clarity. Drinking water requirements need to get top priority.”Civic officials said the final calculations would be done based on water availability, but it is for certain that water cuts will be increased. Options being explored include alternate-day supply, reducing existing supply hours and imposing water closure on two days a week.There has been pushback from residents to implementing alternate-day water supply, as Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had failed to execute this plan effectively during the previous round of water cuts implemented in June this year.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in PuneStay updated with the latest Pune news. Download the TOI App.