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Tejas Navale

Pune: As a result of leakage to the Nighoje dam of the Indrayani River, the water in the Andra Dam has decreased, which further leads to a decrease in water supply to Pimpri-Chinchwad city. Therefore, the city has to face the brunt of a water shortage of approximately 40 MLD in the scorching summer. This has reportedly disrupted the water supply in the city.

To take a review of it and find some solutions, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh and Water Supply Department officials held an online meeting with Irrigation Department officials. In this meeting, Shekhar Singh instructed the officials of the irrigation department to take measures to prevent leakage of water from the Nighoje dam, along with regularising water supply to the city.

For the past more than four years, the city has been receiving water supply every alternate day, with 100 MLD reserved from the Andra Dam. However, the current leak at the Nighoje Dam has affected this supply chain, causing alarm among residents. Currently, 615 MLD of water is supplied to the city from Pavana Dam in Maval, 85 MLD from Andra Dam in the first phase, and 20 MLD from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).

Typically, water from the Andra Dam flows into the Indrayani River and is pumped from the Nighoje Dam using two pumps. However, due to the leak, only one pump is currently operational, leading to only 45 MLD of water being received from Andra Dam for the last two days. Due to this, a 40 MLD water deficit has been created, which has impacted the city's water needs.

An official from the PCMC has said that efforts to address the leakage of a dam have been hindered by the ongoing code of conduct, which has delayed the repair process. While administrative approval has been obtained for the repairs, the tender process and subsequent work are pending.

Srikant Sawane, Chief Engineer of the Water Supply Department, emphasised the urgency of resolving the leak to prevent further water loss and ensure a steady water supply to the city. The municipality is urging the irrigation department to expedite the repair process and restore normalcy to water distribution in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Image Courtesy - Pixabay