Pune: While BJP MLAs and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) administration are lobbying for an additional 100 MLD (million liters per day) water allocation from Pavana dam, sources in the civic body’s water supply department said the city lacks the infrastructure to draw extra water.Even if the state grants immediate approval, officials said it will take at least a year to install necessary pumping and pipeline systems.The issue was discussed on Wednesday in Mumbai during a meeting with state water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. According to a senior irrigation department official, the urgency to draw more from Pavana stems from chronic delays plaguing the Bhama Askhed project, which is intended to provide the city with 167 MLD.“A final decision on the proposal is pending. Another meeting will be held soon to evaluate the technicalities,” the official said.Earlier this year, the PCMC initiated termination proceedings against the contractor for Bhama Askhed project following repeated missed deadlines. While roughly 60% of the project has been completed, civic officials said it would take at least another year to finish the remaining work.Minister Vikhe Patil has directed the civic body to submit a fresh proposal for Pavana allocation. “We have submitted similar proposals in the past without success, but we are now updating our request as per the minister’s instructions,” a senior PCMC official said.However, officials clarified that this move is a long-term strategy rather than a quick fix. With the city’s population growing at an estimated 7% annually, the additional water is intended to meet future demand rather than provide immediate relief to current shortages.The request for more water comes amid sharp criticism from the state regarding the city’s waste management. During the meeting, the minister flagged concerns over untreated sewage being released into local rivers. Irrigation department data suggests that nearly 50% of the city’s water is discharged without treatment, negatively impacting downstream farmers. The state also raised the issue of PCMC’s pending dues and penalties related to this untreated discharge.Currently, the PCMC receives 530 MLD from Pavana dam, 100 MLD from Andra dam, and 30 MLD from MIDC. While the city treats approximately 380 MLD through its sewage treatment plants (STPs), the gap between consumption and treatment remains a point of contention with the irrigation department.Pavana dam has a total capacity of 750 MLD. Currently, PCMC draws 530 MLD and MIDC takes 70 MLD. Civic officials said since no other major entity relies on the dam, the remaining 150 MLD of potential capacity should be diverted to the municipal corporation to sustain the city’s rapid expansion.The high-level meeting was convened after Chinchwad MLA Shankar Jagtap raised the water crisis during the ongoing assembly session. Jagtap claimed the minister has promised a decision on the Pavana allocation within two weeks.“With the population booming, our existing supply is falling short. We are aggressively pursuing this with the state government to ensure Pimpri Chinchwad’s future water security,” Jagtap said.
