PMC should develop app for transparent tanker water system: Societies, activists
After the merger of 23 villages with the PMC, it was not possible to supply tap water to these villages due to which the PMC began supplying tanker water through its own tankers and contractors appointed by it
PUNE
With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) claiming to supply tanker water free-of-cost to housing societies even as the latter claim they have to buy the tanker water from contractors, both housing societies and civic activists are now suggesting that the civic body develop an application (app) to clear these loopholes and bring transparency in the tanker water system.
After the merger of 23 villages with the PMC, it was not possible to supply tap water to these villages due to which the PMC began supplying tanker water through its own tankers and contractors appointed by it. The number of water tanker trips rose from 306,842 in 2021-22 to 354,254 in 2022-23. Additionally, private tanker owners would purchase water from the PMC at Rs650 per 10,000 litres and supply this water to housing societies within the PMC jurisdiction at a rate fixed by the PMC. The private tanker owners were not allowed to buy water from the PMC to supply outside the corporation limits. However, there have been complaints that private tanker owners are selling the water purchased from the PMC to societies outside the PMC jurisdiction. Thereafter, the PMC has made a GPS tracker system mandatory for every tanker so that it can be tracked. According to the PMC, private tanker owners are not allowed to sell water outside the corporation limits.
Prasana Joshi, superintendent engineer of the PMC water supply department, said, “We are trying our best to supply water to the fringe areas of Pune. All tanker water is free and we supply as per the people’s demands. We maintain registration of all tankers at nine tanker points. We take these kinds of measures to provide the maximum water to people as it is our duty to do so.”
A PMC-appointed contractor said, “There is a proper system of water tankers. We get the address and number of people in the society to whom water has to be supplied. After that, we send tankers to the society. There is a proper record maintained by the PMC officials. We send tankers to each society thrice a week. It is not possible for the PMC to supply tankers on a daily basis to every society. Every society needs at least three to four tankers per day to fulfil its residents’ water needs. The PMC has a total of 27 contractors who supply water to different parts of the city as per demand.”
Whereas Sanivkumar Patil, president of the Wagholi Housing Societies Association, which is one of the petitioners against the PMC and the state government, said, “Our association is a group of 350 societies. But we haven’t received any free water tanker from the corporation. To avoid these loopholes in the system, we have to do something which will help both the PMC and the societies.”
“I think the PMC should develop a special app for tankers so as to bring transparency in the system. This will help both the senders and receivers. We are ready to help the PMC to develop the app as we have a team of IT professionals,” Patil said.
Civic activist Vivek Velankar said, “There is no proper system or data maintained by the corporation. They show water tanker trips on paper but actually, the trips do not take place. There is a lack of transparency in tanker water supply. I too suggest that the PMC develops an app for tanker water. It will benefit the people. However, the PMC has to show willingness to do all these things.”
Launch Phase 1 of 24x7 water scheme: Guardian Minister
Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil held a review meeting wherein he instructed Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials to complete the first phase of the 24x7 equitable water supply scheme in time for it to be inaugurated on May 17. Once the first phase of the project is launched, residents of Baner-Balewadi will get 24x7 water supply.
PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar; additional commissioner Vikas Dhakne; chief engineer of the water supply department Anirudh Pawaskar; and superintending engineer of the 24x7 scheme Nandakumar Jagtap were present at the meeting held at the Government Rest House.
Patil instructed PMC officials, “The ongoing work of the water supply scheme through the municipal corporation should be completed speedily. Also, a meter should be installed for water measurement.”
Jagtap said, “We had set April-end as deadline for completion of work in the Baner-Balewadi area but it got delayed. Now, we will complete the work till May 15. A total 23 kilometres of transmission line is being laid in the Baner-Balewadi area and work on four overhead water tanks has been completed. We have deputed multiple agencies to complete the work as per schedule.”
