Chandrakant Patil directs PMC to take adequate steps to plan water supply
Pune: Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil has called on the Pune Municipal Corporation to properly plan for drinking water in light of the Meteorological Department’s prediction of low rainfall later this year.
Speaking at a meeting regarding the JICA project, 24 x 7 water supply scheme and water problem in Pune city, Patil also urged the speeding up of the Equal Water Supply Scheme.
In attendance at the meeting were MLA Madhuri Misal, Bhimrao Tapkir, Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Additional Commissioner Dr. Kunal Khemnar, Ravindra Binwade, Vikas Dhakane, and Chief Engineer of Water Supply Department Aniruddha Pawaskar.
Patil stressed the need to increase the capacity of existing sewage treatment plants, while setting up new ones. He also called for the completion of the JICA project on time and a study on the possibility of using treated wastewater for industrial purposes.
Additionally, Patil called for measures to reduce water leakage, as detected by electromagnetic flowmeters, during the implementation of the water supply scheme. The minister emphasized the priority of completing works to ensure smooth water supply in areas with complaints of low water.
The Equal Water Supply Scheme will see water storage capacity increase from 23% to 33% through the construction of 82 new tanks with a capacity of 287 ten lakh liters. Of these, 43 tanks have been completed and 12 put into operation, while 21 are under construction. The meeting also highlighted that 235 out of 246 electromagnetic flowmeters have been installed to audit water.
Under the JICA project, 11 new sewage treatment plants will be established to treat 396 liters of sewage. This will involve the laying of 55 kilometers of sewers in 19 locations. It was also noted that the capacity of old projects will be increased through the Amrit Yojana.
Patil’s call for proper planning and urgency in tackling water supply issues is timely and much-needed, given the forecast of low rainfall next year. The implementation of the various water supply and sewage treatment schemes will be crucial in ensuring adequate water supply for Pune city residents in the future.