Peth localities in Pune face water crisis, blame on 24x7 scheme

PUNE Although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had assured that it would restore water supply in the peth areas after city MP Girish Bapat met Vikram Kumar, many parts are still facing water scarcity

PUNE Although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had assured that it would restore water supply in the peth areas after city MP Girish Bapat met Vikram Kumar, many parts are still facing water scarcity. What’s more, the residents are now blaming the 24x7 equitable water supply scheme for the problem.

Incomplete pipeline work on Bajirao road. (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

Recently, the central parts of the city including the peth areas faced inadequate water supply, forcing residents to buy water from water tankers. Even the dams that supply water to the city registered 2.5 TMC less water than 2021, creating chaos and highlighting the mismanagement within the PMC. The failure to provide adequate water supply has caused a lot of frustration and people are distressed and facing the added problem of getting water from outside.

“There is no pressure; we have to climb down four floors to get water from a common tap, which runs for 30 minutes and then we also have to buy water from tankers every day for the society, which is an added headache and financial pressure in our maintenance bill. This month is becoming very difficult with the rise in temperatures,” said Nagesh Jadhav, resident of Shivane.

Some blamed the authorities for not managing the water supply. “The failure of the PMC to supply adequate water supply has become a matter of severe discontent and frustration among citizens. Thousands of housing societies are facing financial distress by purchasing exorbitantly priced, unregulated and poor quality water from private water tanker traders. Citizens continued paying property tax during Covid despite severe hardships and expected PMC to fulfill its constitutional duties of providing basic necessities but alas, we continue to be disappointed by the incompetent administration and inactive political representatives of all parties at all levels,” said Ravindra Sinha secretary, Baner Pashan Link Road welfare trust.

Another resident from NIBM vented his disapproval and frustration stating that the PMC doesn’t have water to pump into pipes, but has water to fill in water tankers and supply. This kind of nexus between the water tankers’ cartel and the municipal corporation is all over India where tankers are owned by big shots. Despite meetings with the executive engineer of PMC water supply, the PMC has not been able to do anything about illegal water connections, illegal boosters in NIBM, Wanowrie and Kondhwa or the fact that the moment a common man reports, the department will inform/disclose the name of the complainant leaving him or her defenseless.

In Wagholi, all the societies are dependent on water tankers for the PMC water supply is a nightmare for the residents in the present scenario. “We have been writing to the PMRDA that the Wagholi gram panchayat on record has stated that they do not have the capacity to provide water to housing societies. Builders are running away from providing water too and thus societies are forced to take non-potable water from tankers. While builders, while obtaining completion certificates from the PMRDA, undertake to provide water to societies but it is unfortunate that none of them are following that on the ground. However, due to lack of monitoring on the PMRDA’s part they continue to receive completion certificates for completed projects and approval for their future phases/projects from PMRDA,” said Sanjeevkumar Patil, director, Wagholi Housing Societies Association (WHSA).