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The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), already facing criticism for the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) outbreak due to the supply of contaminated raw water to residents in some parts of the city, is now likely to encounter a water shortage. This potential shortage arises from a warning issued by the state water resource department, which has stated that it will reduce the water supply from the Khadakwasla dam if the PMC does not pay its outstanding dues of Rs 726.12 crore by February 25.
In a notice served to the PMC, executive engineer of Khadakwasla Water Works S Y Kurhade said, “The water charges have been recovered as per the rates approved by the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) in 2022. The PMC has dues of Rs 726.12 crore on water charges till February 2025. This should be paid immediately to the water resource department.”
“If the dues are not cleared, then the water supply to the PMC will be reduced in phases from February 25 onwards. Thus, it is requested to take note of it and pay the dues as early as possible,” he said.
The PMC has been allocated 11.5 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water annually since 2005. However, the state water resource department claims that the civic body extracts more water than what is designated.
The Pune civic administration has been requesting additional water to meet the rising demand caused by the expansion of civic boundaries and an increasing population. The PMC stated that 12.82 TMC of water was approved for the city for the current year, while 21.11 TMC was used last year due to higher demand.
“The PMC has requested the state government to allocate 34.71 TMC of water for the city. Additionally, an appeal has been filed with the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) regarding the high rates imposed by the state water resource department for water charges,” said a civic officer.
The state irrigation department issued a notice after the PMC released a list of organisations, including the water resource department, with property tax dues and urged them to pay the amount as soon as possible.
The city has seen a rise in GBS cases in certain areas, primarily due to the contaminated water sourced from the Khadakwasla dam, which is now being supplied to recently merged regions within the civic limits. It has been noted that the water from the dam has become contaminated due to the discharge of untreated sewage from properties located upstream of the dam, where urbanisation is rapidly increasing.
