In the second week of July, monsoon remains elusive for Pune. However, the dam’s which supply water to the city have reported an year-on-year improvement in their water levels as the ghats in and around Pune received good rains. June, for Pune, was exceptionally dry with the city and district reporting more than a 33 per cent deficit. Monsoon had picked up from the last week of June, and July, as per Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), was to see above average rainfall across the state. As of Sunday, the cumulative rainfall received in the district was 171.2 mm as against the 235.1 mm it usually does. July has begun on a positive note, with the district reporting 6 per cent excess rainfall. Till date in July, the district has received 93.5 mm of rainfall as against the average 88.3 mm. IMD in its short time forecast had repeatedly predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in the ghats of the district. Thus, Lonavala, Lavale and other areas have seen good spells of rain, but the city remained dry. The rain has helped push up water levels at dams, which supply water to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and have reported a year-on-year increase in water levels. Thus Pawana, the dam that supplies water to Pimpri-Chinchwad as on Sunday, has 24.83 per cent of its water storage capacity as against last year’s 20.57 per cent. Similarly Khadakwasla (51.12) per cent, Panshet (26.06/2365) per cent, Warasgaon (25.51) per cent and Temghar (13.03) per cent — the four dams which supply water to Pune city — have reported a steady year-on-year increase in their water levels. Dr Anupam Kashyapi head of weather forecasting at IMD, while analysing the monsoon so far, had pointed out that even in Pune City different areas have reported different quantities of rain. Thus if Shivajinagar has reported 39 per cent deficit in rainfall, Lohegaon has reported only 5.8 per cent deficit. At present, the monsoon has covered the country and parts of the North and North-East are reporting heavy to very heavy rainfall. For Pune and its surrounding region, Kashyapi said rainfall will reduce in the next 3-4 days. “Light to moderate rainfall will continue over the district's ghats,” he said.
