In a recent canal advisory committee meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a decision was made to release water into the new Mutha canal from the Khadakwasla project starting March 4. During the meeting, Pawar directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to implement measures for water conservation.
Pawar was speaking in the Khadakwasla project canal advisory committee meeting. MLA Dattatray Bharne, Rahul Kul, Ravindra Dhangekar, Bhimrao Tapkir, Siddharth Shirole, Chetan Tupe, Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, Pune Collector Dr Suhas Diwase, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Chavan, Krishna Khore Development Corporation Executive Director Atul Kapole, Chief Engineer Hanumant Gunale, Superintending Engineer Sunanda Jagtap etc were present as invited members of the committee.
Reserve water till 15 July for drinking purposes
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Pune District Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar directed that water should be reserved for drinking from all dams and other water reservoirs till July 15 and the officials of the Water Resources Department should take action accordingly.
In the meeting, water usage of Pune Municipal Corporation, waste water treatment project, water table etc. were discussed. The invited members, along with MLA Bharne, Kul, demanded that the Municipal Corporations should save water and the Irrigation Department should provide sufficient water for irrigation and drinking water.
16.17 TMC water is available in the Khadakwasla project. 14.98 TMC for irrigation and non-irrigation is becoming available. Out of it, 6.98 TMC water is available for irrigation. From March 4, the first cycle for summer irrigation will be released for 45 days and the second cycle will be released for Daund Municipality and other drinking water.
If the canal water is carried forward by making a tunnel up to Phursungi, there will be a big water saving and more water will be available for irrigation. Therefore, Pune Municipal Corporation and Water Resources Department should jointly discuss this and prepare a proposal for this project in accordance with the financial provision, Pawar also said.
In the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister directed to take grouting and other measures in accordance with the water leakage from Temghar Dam. He also said that necessary funds will be provided for this purpose.
On this occasion, there was a discussion regarding drinking water in Daund Municipality and rural areas, New Mutha Canal, Sansar Jod Canal, Janai Shirsai Upsa Sinchana Yojana, Mundhwa Jackwell providing water for agriculture from Old Mutha Canal through waste water provided by PMC.
Adequate water storage in Pavana and Chaskaman projects
Pavana and Chaskaman projects have as much water storage as last year. Pavana project has 4.89 TMC water storage. Out of which, 2.92 TMC will be given to Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation for drinking purposes and 0.46 TMC for industrial and non-irrigation purposes till July 15. 0.25 TMC water will be released during the summer season for irrigation.
In the Chaskaman project, Chaskaman and Kalamodi dams together have a total useful water storage of 5.25 TMC out of which 3.63 TMC of water is available for irrigation and non-irrigation for summer season excluding water loss and evaporation.
0.13 TMC water will be provided for drinking and 3.5 TMC water for irrigation. Deputy Chief Minister Pawar said that the water is planned to be given in two phases for irrigation and the first phase will be from March 5 to April 9 and the next phase from April 10 to May 15 or as per the demand.
Bhama Askhed also has satisfactory water storage and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has 1 TMC, 2.02 TMC of water available for irrigation and non-irrigation, 0.07 TMC of water is drawn from the reservoir and 1.95 TMC of water is planned for the river below the dam and for Kolhapur type dams. The Irrigation Department said that it is planned to release the first circulation in Bhama and Bhima rivers from March 1 to March 16 and the next circulation from April 20.
On this occasion, Superintendent Engineer Jagtap, Executive Engineer Shweta Kurhade, Shrikrishna Gunjal, Shivaji Jadhav, Digambar Dubal and Mahesh Kanetkar gave information about the water storage and planning of the project through a presentation.
