Water tanker demand in Pune’s newly merged villages higher in monsoon than summer
During the monsoon months, beginning June, 40,732 water tanker trips made to the merged villages, 42,220 in July and 41,672 in August
The demand for water tankers during monsoon for the 34 merged villages in municipal limits of Pune has been higher than summer with 124,624 water tanker trips between June and August compared to 123,091 from March to May this year.
According to the Pune Municipal Cooperation (PMC) data, 38,299 water tanker trips were recorded in March; 41,603 in April and 43,189 trips in May.
However, during the monsoon months, beginning June, 40,732 water tanker trips made to the merged villages, 42,220 in July and 41,672 in August.
Officials attributed it to newly developed residential projects.
According to the water supply department, the demand for water tankers has gone particularly high in the newly merged villages. The current gram panchayat system of water supply is inadequate to meet the water needs of the area. Moreover, the frenetic pace of construction of new buildings is putting a heavy strain on the already grave water situation. While constructions are proposed and approved, no provision of water has been made for the new buildings.
Nandkishor Jagtap, chief, PMC water supply, said, “There is a very high demand for water tankers in the area and PMC is ensuring supply to avoid inconvenience. The civic body requires between 33,000 and 34,000 water tanker trips per month but currently it has touched between 42,000 and 43,000.”
The demand for water tankers peaks between 10 to 15 per cent during summer and taking into account the less volume of water in city dams, PMC reduces supply prompting increase in demand for water tankers. However, despite all dams being full and 28 TMC water released in Mutha canal during the past two months, the demand for water tanker has increased.
Jaymala Dhankikar, director, NIBM Annexe Forum, said, “The rise in demand for water tankers is due to failure of PMC in providing water to residential societies since last two decades. This has led to a strong water supply lobby that earns crores of rupees. It is saddening to see that our area paid over ₹200 crore in taxes over the past one decade and there is no dedicated water supply pipeline. We have demanded prosecution of PMC officials for supporting the private sector and disrupting the public water infrastructure system.”
Tara Singh, president, Anandvan Parisar Resident Foundation (APRF), said, “Only a few societies have PMC water supply, the rest rely on tankers. The area has been neglected by PMC.”
