Dams supplying water to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad full even as rain takes a break

Pawana, the dam that supplies water to Pimpri-Chinchwad, is 85.24 per cent full, while it was 86.19 per cent full last year. The Pune Municipal Corporation has already suspended its water cuts, but Pimpri-Chinchwad has not.

This comfortable water situation is mostly due to the heavy to very heavy rain received by the Ghat areas that feed to the catchment areas of the dams. Since June 1, Maharashtra has received 648.2 mm of rainfall as against the normal of 669.40 mm. Pune district has reported 566.3 mm of rainfall as compared to the 597.3 mm it is supposed to receive. Most of the rainfall the district and the state received was in July, with June and August being mostly dry. In August, the state has so far reported a 69 per cent deficit with just 42 mm of rainfall, as against the normal 135.2 4 mm rainfall. Similarly, Pune district has received 47.4 mm of rainfall as compared to the 138.3 mm of rainfall it is supposed to.

This lull in rain is to continue for the next few days, till conditions will be favourable for rains. It at present conducive for vegetative growth of crops, but more rain will be required for further growth.

The country as a whole is experiencing a 3 per cent rain deficit, with 545.6 mm of rainfall being received as against the expected normal of 561.9 mm.