Pune: Residents and corporators across the city are against imposing water cuts again after the civic body suspended the cuts and alternate-day supply plan till Sunday, as the palkhi is set to end on Sunday.They are citing a good spell of rainfall that has raised water levels in many dams beyond the 50% mark.The administration had earlier announced the suspension of water cuts until Sunday in the wake of the palkhi’s arrival in the city. While announcing the suspension, the administration had said that a call on reintroducing the water cuts and alternate-day supply would be taken on the basis of dam stocks on July 12.The corporators have said that the administration, instead of going for an alternate-day supply immediately, can defer the water cuts for the next two weeks, as water storage has surged in the last 10 days and in many dams, the stock is beyond 50%. They said that there is a possibility of next spells of rainfall towards the month-end.The citizens are already opposing the alternate-day water supply, claiming that it has led to hardships and that the administration has not been able to implement the water supply schedule properly.Haridas Charvad, a corporator from the Sinhagad Road area, told TOI that the water supply has dropped considerably ever since the administration introduced the alternate-day plan. The residents from peripheral areas want a daily supply of water.Sources from PMC said a review meeting is expected to be held on Monday, where Pune mayor Manjusha Nagpure and leaders of all the parties will be present. The meeting is to decide the further course of action. The leaders will take a call on whether to continue the alternate day water cuts across the city or reduce the cuts.Congress leader Chandrakant Kadam said the water cuts were introduced around June 15 when the situation was critical, the water stock in dams was down to around 4 TMC.In the last 10 days, however, the scenario has changed, Kadam said, adding that the water levels have improved significantly, though the dams have not reached full capacity. The mayor should consider the plights that the citizens are facing owing to water shortages, Kadam said.The PMC has claimed to have reduced daily water consumption from 1,550 MLD to 1,250 MLD by introducing an alternate-day supply. The eastern parts were not facing cuts due to technical problems at the Bhama Askhed project, but the administration is planning to introduce the water cuts even in eastern areas.Civic activist Vijay Bhale said the administration can continue with the measures to reduce water wastage and ease the water cuts to some extent. “People want adequate water pressure and timely supply. PMC is failing to provide water at proper pressure”, Bhale said.
