With 9 of 22 dams full to the brim, alerts sounded for low-lying areas in Pune district

Ujjani dam in neighbouring Solapur district, which lies at the tail end of the Bhima River system, was also 100 per cent full.

Dattatreya Bharne, the minister for agriculture, has asked for quick panchnamas in order to help affected farmers tide over their losses. (Facebook/Dattatreya Bharne)

With the water level in several dams in Pune district reaching full capacity, the authorities continued releasing water from the dams on Sunday as well.

Till the time of filing this report, nine of the 22 dams in the district – Bhama Ashkhed, Chaskaman, Yedgaon, Bhatghar, Panshet, Temghar, Varasgaon, Mulshi Tata, and Takharwadi – were filled to capacity. Of the four dams that supply water to Pune city, Panshet, Temghar, and Varasgaon were filled to capacity, while Khadakwasla was 98.42 per cent full. Pavana dam, which supplies water to Pimpri Chinchwad, was 87.89 per cent full. Ujjani dam in neighbouring Solapur district, which lies at the tail end of the Bhima River system, was also 100 per cent full. The discharge from Ujjani has caused a flood-like situation in parts of Pandharpur and Madha regions of the district.

Meanwhile, irrigation authorities have sounded an alert for low-lying areas in Pune district. Similar alerts were also sounded for low-lying areas under the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal rainfall for Pune and its surrounding regions in September. July and August were marked by lower-than-normal rainfall in the district, but good rain in the catchment areas since then has ensured that most dams have sufficient water.

There has also been a marked increase in groundwater levels in many areas, leading to projections of a bumper rabi crop.

“Heavy rainfall in other parts of Maharashtra in August resulted in 14 lakh hectares of farm land being affected, with Nanded, Dharashiv, and Buldhana districts reporting the maximum damage. Cultivation of crops like soybean and cotton was primarily hit,” said a government source.

Dattatreya Bharne, the minister for agriculture, has asked for quick panchnamas in order to help affected farmers tide over their losses.

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