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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Cong blames Bapat for Pune’s water crisis
The Congress leaders said that to get votes in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, Bapat provided water supply in rural areas
Congress party on Thursday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Girish Bapat, guardian minister, for allowing city’s water crisis to escalate. The Congress leaders said that to get votes in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, Bapat provided water supply in rural areas.
At a press conference, Ramesh Bagwe, Congress city unit president, and Mohan Joshi, Pune Lok Sabha candidate, blamed Bapat for the water issue with the city facing additional water cuts.
Joshi said, “To garner votes in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency and help the BJP candidate Kanchan Kul, Bapat instructed authorities to release water to Daund taluka. As excess water has been released to please voters, the crisis has escalated.”
Congress leaders said, “We urged BJP for equitable distribution of water in the city, but instead of planning, Bapat used water for political interest.
Bagwe said, “The city is facing a water crisis. Now, the administration is claiming that they have no option, but to cut supply.”
‘Instead of defending Maha police, CM is promising a probe’
The local unit of Congress raised questions over chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s stand on allegations made by BJP’s Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur. Congress leaders Abhay Chajjed and Sanjay Balgude said, “Thakur has made allegations against Paramveer Singh, police commissioner of Thane, that he physically assaulted her when she was in jail. Also, Thakur raised questions against Maharashtra police. Instead of defending the state police, the chief minister has promised an inquiry.”
Meet on additional water cuts inconclusive
The meeting organised by state authorities to discuss additional water cuts in the city remained inconclusive on Thursday.
Saurabh Rao, Pune municipal commissioner; VJ Kulkarni, head of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) water department, and other junior officers of the irrigation department attended the meeting.
Sanjeev Chopade, superintending engineer, Pune irrigation circle, also held a meeting with Rao. The civic chief reviewed the water stock at the three dams that supply water to the city, but did not take a decision on additional water cuts.
With the depletion of water level at three dams — Khadakwasla, Varasgaon and Panshet — the civic body is planning to implement more water cuts. The Temghar dam is under repairs.
Kulkarni said, “A review meeting was held in PMC headquarters, but no decision was taken.”
Meanwhile, an official on condition of anonymity said that Girish Bapat, guardian minister, has called for another meeting on Saturday (May 4, 2019) to discuss the issue of pending work of pipeline from Bhama Askhed dam. Bapat will take a decision on additional water cuts in the city at the meet.
Currently, the Khadakwasla reservoir has 6.21 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water stock. PMC needs to consider the water stock till July 15, if the monsoon is delayed. Hence, the PMC administration has put forward a proposal for additional water cuts in the city.
ALTERNATE-DAY SUPPLY IN PCMC
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has announced alternate day water supply in the area from May 6. The PCMC has maintained that there is a need for water cut so that it lasts up to July 30.
