PMC staff to monitor water tankers to prevent theft

Tankers are provided by the civic body in areas where water is not supplied by the municipal corporation. PMC operates 200 tankers, including private contractor tankers, each with a 10,000-litre capacity

Amid complaints from residents, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has assigned its staff to monitor free water tanker service. If a tanker is found delivering water to unauthorised locations, the employees responsible will be held accountable, said officials.

Every tanker makes five to six trips per day and records of these tankers are maintained at nine tanker points across the city. (HT)

Nandkishore Jagtap, head of water supply department, said, “The employees have been given the responsibility of keeping a check on the water supply tankers. They will be given a login ID and password. A daily report will be taken from the concerned about where and when the tanker was sent.”

Tankers are provided by the civic body in areas where water is not supplied by the municipal corporation. PMC operates 200 tankers, including private contractor tankers, each with a 10,000-litre capacity. Every tanker makes five to six trips per day and records of these tankers are maintained at nine tanker points across the city.

These tankers have been fitted with a ‘Global Positioning System’ (GPS) which tracks their movement. Senior officials of the water department have access to the login and password, but due to a shortage of staff, the system was not properly maintained.

Vivek Velankar, civic activist, who was pursuing the matter of accountability of water tankers, said, “It is important to understand whether the water supplied by the contractor goes to the right place or not. It was demanded that this responsibility should be fixed on the employees at the tanker point. This will prevent water tankers from going elsewhere.”