‘Stop approving new constructions in Pune, when you can’t ensure drinking water to residents’: Cong MLC Satej Patil to Maharashtra govt

According to Patil, while the population of Pune is around 70 lakh, the city has a floating population of 5-7 lakh. “By 2027, the population of Pune city might jump to one crore. Yet, construction activity continues indiscriminately. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) cannot provide drinking water for such a rapidly growing population,” the former minister said.

Patil also highlighted that the issue of the water tanker mafia is exacerbating the crisis.”Nearly one lakh water tankers are operating in Pune city, and tanker owners are profiting from the residents’ dependency on tanker water supply. I worry that in the future, conflicts over water may emerge among citizens,” he stated.

He pointed out that water allocation from dams in 2014 for Pune was based on a population estimate for 2031, reserving 14 (thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water for the city. “However, the actual requirement has increased to 22 TMC, which means our water usage exceeds what has been reserved for Pune,” the MLC said.

Demand for CM Fadnavis to chair a meeting

Patil urged the state government to hold a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as the situation has gone out of hand. ”Without a high-level meeting and a decisive action plan, this problem will remain unresolved, leading to further complications in Pune,” he said.

In response to Patil’s arguments, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Patil said that there is no need for additional water as the current usage of 14-15 TMC is sufficient.

Stating that Pune will not face water shortage, the minister said the PMC, which has demanded additional water, had not provided any substantial reason. “We will consider the demands, but we need more information. The government’s position is positive. We will address this matter and hold a meeting chaired by the chief minister after the legislative session to resolve the issue,” Radhakrishna Patil said.

However, the minister acknowledged the issue of the water tanker mafia. “I agree with the member about the rampant operations of the tanker mafia in our cities,” he said.