PUNE Although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is implementing the 24x7 water supply scheme in the city, the number of water tankers is increasing day by day as citizens are not getting adequate water from the PMC water supply lines. Surprisingly since the past two years, the demand for water tankers is also rising in the old parts of the city which had round-the-clock water only a few years ago. The PMC data itself shows that there is a sharp increase in the number of water tankers.
As per the PMC data, demand for water tankers has increased by 38,966 tankers within a year. In the year 2020-21, a total 267,876 tankers were provided to citizens from various tanker points. In 2021-22, the PMC provided 306,842 tankers.
PMC water department head Aniruddha Pawaskar said, “It’s true that the demand for water tankers has increased as compared to the previous year. It has been a continuous trend for the last few years but the main reason is the rapid development of the city. The work on the 24x7 water scheme is in progress. We are sure that once the scheme gets operational fully, the demand for water, at least in those areas that are covered by the scheme will come down drastically.”
BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole said, “It is true that earlier, the central parts of the city did not have a water crisis. But shockingly since the last few months, many areas are facing water shortage. Recently, I visited some areas like Prabhat road and others which too are facing water crisis.”
{{/usCountry}}BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole said, “It is true that earlier, the central parts of the city did not have a water crisis. But shockingly since the last few months, many areas are facing water shortage. Recently, I visited some areas like Prabhat road and others which too are facing water crisis.”
{{/usCountry}}Another BJP leader on condition of anonymity said, “Mainly central parts of the city area are dominated by BJP members and we were the ruling party in the PMC. These areas never faced water crisis but I myself asked to provide tankers in some peth areas recently. Citizens are angry with us as during our tenure, the water crisis emerged. But this is mainly because of the 24x7 water works. Once the new water pipelines are laid, we are sure that there will be no problem at least in the central parts.”
One of the tanker operators who has many water tankers said on condition of anonymity, “Our business is a flourishing business which is the need of the hour. Water scarcity areas would keep changing in the city, but it is a reality that the city would require water tankers. Development is taking place at a rapid pace. The city is developing in many areas which are not part of the PMC where the demand for tankers will be constant.”
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Usually during the rainy season, citizens use less water and the demand for tankers is expected to fall but interestingly, the PMC data shows that the demand for tankers remained constant during both the winter and the rainy season. During 2020-21, the average demand per month for water tankers was around 22,000. In 2021-22, the average demand for water tankers in the winter and rainy season remained 24,000 tankers per month.