Brace for monsoon water cuts

After the rainfall in and around Pune during the initial phase of the monsoon,the rains have disappeared,posing a threat to the citys water supply need.

With rainfall below average this monsoon so far,the city faces a water crisis as dam levels remain low

Four dams well below capacity: irrigation officials
After the rainfall in and around Pune during the initial phase of the monsoon,the rains have disappeared,posing a threat to the citys water supply need. Owing to the absence of rain,the four dams,that provide water to the city,do not have sufficient water to sustain Punes water needs in the times to come,unless they are replenished.

Had the dams received normal rainfall,they would have been at least 30 per cent full,while the scanty rains have left them at about 3 per cent capacity. At present,there is only 1.30 TMC of water in the four dams collectively. These dams include Khadakwasla,Panshet,and Warasgaon and Temghar. The Pavana dam,which provides water to the industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad has less than 3 TMC of water.

Despite a good rainfall in the initial period of monsoon,the catchment areas of all these dams has received almost negligible rainfall. This has resulted into deteriorating water storage in these dams. The present water storage will be sufficient only till the end of July, S N Bolbhat,executive engineer of Khadakwasla Irrigation Division told Newsline .

He added,These dams should have ideally received at least 1,200 mm to 1,300 mm of rainfall since the onset of the monsoon. However,Panshet,Warasgaon and Temghar have received only 323 mm,326 mm and 380 mm of rainfall respectively. The situation of the Khadakwasla dam is all the more pathetic as it has received only 185 mm of rainfall till now.

The present storage of the four dams is: Panshet (0.59 TMC),Warasgaon (.03 TMC),Khadakwasla (0.68 TMC). The water level in Temghar is now almost nil,while that of the Pavana dam is only 2.79 TMC.

Hence,not only the residents of Pune,but also in Pimpri-Chinchwad will have to get ready for the water cuts. But we have just given the status report to the concerned civic authorities. The decision about the water cuts only rests with them, another irrigation official said.

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Brace for monsoon water cuts

After the rainfall in and around Pune during the initial phase of the monsoon,the rains have disappeared,posing a threat to the citys water supply need.

After the rainfall in and around Pune during the initial phase of the monsoon,the rains have disappeared,posing a threat to the citys water supply need.