State’s duty to provide sufficient drinking water to Pune: Shivtare

Pune: “Pune city will get adequate water supply. Providing drinking water is the priority of the State Government. Now, we have called canal committee meeting to discuss on the Pune city drinking water issue,” said Minister of State for Water Resources Vijay Shivtare on Friday. 

Shivtare took a review meeting of the 11villages merged in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits. While speaking to the media, he said, “There is less water in the dams due to lack of rainfall during the withdrawal monsoon. Out of total 30 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC), around 22 TMC water is used for drinking purposes and other for agriculture. Maharashtra State Water Resource Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) has given decision to supply only 8.19 TMC ft water to the PMC on the basis of existing population. But, it is not a practical one. There is a problem of old water supply network and accountability of water. So we should give time to the PMC to improve their system. The State Government has final authority to take a decision on water supply though MWRRA gave its decision on the Pune water supply.” 

On the issue of development of 11 merged villages, Shivtare said, “I have given instructions to PMC officials to take a practical approach and provide minimum basic facilities to the merged villages. I suggested that the corporation should form a committee including local representatives and officials so that people can meet them.” 

“Right now, people have to come to the main office to register their complaints and solve problems. The PMC should have set proper mechanism to solve problem of 11 merged villages. From last two years, the PMC hasn’t started development work after the merger in PMC limits. Before the merger, the villages were getting drinking water and the villagers are facing water problem. We know development will happe. But, the PMC should try to provide basic infrastructure such as drinking water, sewage line,” he added.