PUNE, Oct 13: Thousands of residents of the 38 fringe villages are facing acute shortage of water since the Pune Municipal Corporation has stopped supplying water to them by tanker because of lack of funds.The corporation had made a budgetary provision of Rs 10 lakh for supplying water by tankers. The amount was spent up within a few days, forcing the PMC to allocate the required funds. Sources said the PMC spent Rs 30 lakh in the first six months against the budgetary provision of Rs 10 lakh.The PMC had pressed into service 18 tankers, including nine private. Now several localities like Balewadi and Vidyanagar, which depended on the tankers, are facing a water problem. Additional city engineer V.G. Dhadphale told The Indian Express that the water supply department had to raise Rs 20 lakh by reallocating funds. He will soon submit a proposal to the PMC for more funds for water supply. The authorities, are anxious over the need to provide additional funds as the PMC had already curtailed several development works.
