PMC seeks water from agri share

PMC officials are now eyeing additional water from the agriculture quota to meet the city’s water demand. Last month alone,water stock in the four dams that provide water to the city went down by 2.3 TMC. On February 25,it was 11.7 TMC,and now it has come down to 9.14 TMC.

While appealing the PMC to undertake a water cut,the irrigation department had declared in February of the total 11.7 TMC water available in the four dams,it would only be able to supply 4 TMC for the city. The daily water requirement of the city is 0.04 TMC which translates into 1.25 TMC per month. The water supply department of PMC supplies about 1,200 MLD (Million Litres per Day) to the city. To be able to use 4 TMC water promised by the irrigation department,it had appealed the PMC to bring down supply to 900 MLD,which means 350 MLD water cut per day,which officials now say is unrealistic given the increased demand in summer.

“On an average,water requirement is 1150-1200 MLD. In summer the demand goes up 15-20 per cent. If we bring down supply by 350 MLD the actual curtailment,taking into account increased demand,would be 40-45 per cent,” said V G Kulkarni,development engineer,water works,PMC.

According to Kulkarni,following an appeal by the Irrigation department,the PMC had brought down water supply to 1,050 MLD in the first week of March which resulted in complaints of acute water shortage and low pressure supply in many parts of the city,following which PMC had to increase supply to 1150 MLD.

“We were receiving 150-200 complaints a day. The 40-45 per cent water cut,as suggested by the Irrigation department is not possible. We are planning a meeting of PMC commissioner with Irrigation officials to request irrigation officials to provide water from the agriculture quota to meet the needs of the city as it seems unlikely that the 4 TMC water allotted earlier will be sufficient,” said Kulkarni.

As per plans chalked out by the Irrigation department in February,of the total 11.7 TMC water stock in the four dams,7.7 TMC was earmarked for agricultural purposes and 4 TMC for civic supply.

Opposition parties have been alleging that influential NCP leadership in the district had forced Irrigation department to supply extra water for agriculture ahead of Z P election creating a shortage of water. On the other hand,Deputy Chief Minister and district guardian minister Ajit Pawar has maintained that water demands of agriculture and rural parts of the district should also be taken care of.

According to water prioritisation policies accepted by the state government,drinking water should get priority over agriculture and industrial requirement.