Merger of 23 villages in PMC: Demand rises for additional water allocation

Annual water allocation quota for PMC is 14.5 TMC, but the city’s existing need is more than 18 TMC per annum

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has demanded increase in water allocation for the Pune city post merger of 23 villages within the municipal limits.

Residents of Uruli Devachi village, already included in PMC, waiting for water supply. (HT)

PMC standing committee chairman Hemant Rasne said, “It was expected that while handing over the 23 villages, the state government would allot funds and increase water supply quota to the city. However, there was no mention of it after the final merger notification was released. Our previous demand for water was 18.96 TMC (thousand million cubic feet), but now we would need more water.”

The allocated annual water quota for Pune is 14.5 TMC, but the city’s existing need is more than 18 TMC per annum.

PMC water department head Aniruddha Pawaskar said, “It is natural that after merging the new villages, the city’s water demand will increase. Even today, it is getting tough to provide water for the previously merged 11 villages. After merging 11 villages, PMC demanded 18.96 TMC water and the city would need more supply and we would officially submit a proposal to the irrigation department.”

One of the officials from the water department said on anonymity, “Though the population in the merged 23 villages is looking less, post notification these new areas will soon become crowded in a few years. With development, construction activity would increase in these villages and so would the requirement of water.”

Rasne said, “I have instructed the water department to prepare an estimate of water stock requirement and will follow it up with the state government. We welcome the merger move though it is politically motivated. Now, we appeal to the state and opposition parties to join hands with PMC to grant more water allocation for the city.”