Poll effect? PMC seeks cut in water cut

The PMC on Monday had announced its new schedule of water supply as part of its 30 per cent water cut implementation. The administration had to face wrath of political parties for continuing with the water cut even after sufficient availability of water. Various political parties were even going to make the water cut an election issue for the October 13 assembly polls.

At a meeting of irrigation department and PMC,it was proposed to reduce the water cut to 10 per cent till October 15 from the existing 30 per cent while predicting more rain in coming days that would increase the storage in the dams. “We will discuss the PMC proposal with our senior colleagues,” city irrigation department officers said. The decision will be further reviewed on October 15 on the basis of available water available in dams.

The PMC clarified that the recently announced schedule of water supply was due to the technical problems leading to reduction in supply to the city. Therefore,the water supply will continue as usual till the final decision on the proposal is taken by the irrigation department.

Meanwhile,the reservoirs supplying water to the Pune recorded a storge level of 20.19 TMC on Tuesday. This works up to around 76 per cent of the storage capacity. Khadakwasla has 0.74 TMC,Pavana has 7.93 TMC,Varasgaon has 10.14 TMC,while Temghar has 2.12 TMC.

“The water levels in these dams have not shown any significant addition in the last two days. After 40 mm on Sunday,on Monday the rainfall levels were negligible – only to the tune of 2 mm or 3 mm. It was the same story on Tuesday and Wednesday as well” said Shivaji Bolbhat,executive engineer,Khadawasla Irrigation system. The reservoir levels assume significance for the rabi crop. Irrigation officials are saying that they hope the rains in the next few days add to the reservoir.

On Tuesday however,the city received no rainfall. The IMD has said the forecast for Pune is “a few spells of rain.” There is a low pressure that has developed over Madhya Pradesh,which IMD officials say will lead to a fair bit of rain across Maharashtra.

The forecast for Konkan and Goa is fairly widespread rain with heavy rainfall in some regions.

South Madhya Maharashtra,Madhya Maharashtra and Vidharba will receive fairly widespread rainfall as well.

Previously,this low pressure was formed over Bay of Bengal. The cyclonic circulation over gangetic plains has also moved inside and at present is lying over Jharkhand and neighbourhood.

Power cut eases

There has been no loadshedding in Pune since September 1 and the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has announced relief of 45 minutes in the Rasta Peth and Pimpri sub divisions. S P Nagtilak,Chief Engineer of the Pune division said that good rainfall in Maharashtra had ensured that there was minimum loadshedding. From September 1 however there was no loadshedding. He also pointed out that due to less transmission and distribution losses and better revenue generation in the sub divisions of Rasta Peth and Pimpri,the duration of loadshedding has been reduced. Areas under the Rasta peth division that faced power cuts for three and a half hours has now been upgraded to the A group where the power cut is for two hours and 45 minutes. Similarly the pimpri division which faced power cut for four hours and 15 minutes now has been upgraded to the C division with power cuts for three hours and 30 minutes.