3 min readPuneAug 31, 2015 06:28 AM IST
First published on: Aug 31, 2015 at 01:07 AM IST
With the monsoon withdrawal likely to take place early September, the proposed second canal committee meeting to take a decision on water cut is likely to be held in the second week of the month. However, with the 11-day Ganesh festival beginning on September 17, the committee headed by Guardian Minister Girish Bapat may opt for once a week and not alternate day water cut.
“With no rains, once a week water cut will help save 2 TMC of water, which can eventually be increased,” said an irrigation official.
As the Met department has predicted rains between September 3 and 5, the committee has decided to hold the meeting in the second week of September.
Bapat said the situation was grave as the rainfall deficiency in the city is over 30 per cent. “We have decided to meet in the second week of September as the Met department has given us some assurance on rains,’’ he said.
Presently, while the rainfall deficiency in the state is at 33.25 per cent, it is 12 per cent across the country as was earlier predicted by the Met department.
LS Rathore, director general, IMD, on Sunday said that while monsoon withdrawal is likely to begin from the north west on September 1, the Met department will officially declare it in the first week of next month after observing the main conditions.
“It all depends on the anti-cyclonic circulation, low moisture content and precipitation with no rainfall in the area for five days. We have not yet declared monsoon withdrawal, but with sparse rain across the country it is likely to start from Rajasthan,” said Rathore.
The western region is hoping there is some rain in the coming days ahead of the withdrawal of monsoon. Meanwhile, the district administration has formed flying squads to check wastage and illegal use of water ahead of the canal committee meeting.
District collector Saurabh Rao has issued an order to constitute 14 squads to carry out random checks in the area as well as initiate action against those found guilty of illegally drawing water from sources. The squads have been asked to register complaints under the Maharashtra Irrigation Act, 1976. Every squad comprises five members — two engineers from the state irrigation department and one official each from the revenue, MSEDCL and police department.
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