Water discharge from Maharashtra’s Pavana dam increased, PCMC sounds alert for citizens along rivers

“Following continuous rain in the catchment areas, the storage in Pavana dam has increased to 86.34 per cent. Since early morning, 5,940 cusecs of water have been discharged, but from 9 am, 7,410 cusecs of water will be discharged,” the PCMC stated on Saturday.

In light of the increased discharge, the PCMC administration said citizens staying along the Pavana and Mula rivers, and those in low-lying areas, should remain vigilant. “Citizens should immediately remove their belongings, including farm equipment and cattle, from the area. They should not step into the riverbed. All those living in low-lying areas should take extra precautions,” an official said.

Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad have been witnessing incessant rainfall after a long gap, and the weather bureau has sounded a red alert for parts of Pune district.

PCMC officials also said that if the rain continued throughout the day, they might consider shifting citizens staying in low-lying areas to nearby schools.

Pavana Dam is the main source of drinking water for the industrial city of Pimpri-Chinchwad. The dam is located in the Maval taluka of Pune district. The PCMC draws 420 million litres per day (MLD) of water every day from the Pavana river.

Meanwhile, continuous rain in Pimpri-Chinchwad in the last two days has led to waterlogging in several areas. The most affected areas are internal roads and the road stretch from Nigdi to Chinchwad, where Pune Metro extension work is underway.