Aurangabad, Nov 28:
The region''s biggest water reservoir, Jayakwadi Dam, is getting filled to its capacity for the last two years. However, it is sad, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is unable to transport the water till the city due to lack of its capacity. As a result, the custodian of water supply scheme could quench the thirst of 60 per cent citizens only, while the remaining 40 per cent are waiting in the hope of getting the parallel pipeline project implemented, for the last 15 years. Presently, the AMC supply''s water to the city on a gap of five days.
Aurangabad, once a small town, was surviving on the water lifted by the then municipal council from Harsul Tank till the 1970s. When the city got expanded, the municipal corporation started lifting water from the Jayakwadi Dam. Later on, one more pipeline was laid parallel to the old one, between the dam and the city, to transport the water in adequate quantity. Meanwhile, the life expectancy of both these pipelines got finished 15 years ago.
The population of the city has crossed 15 lakh, and the water demand is 200 MLD, but due to poor water management by the AMC, the city is getting 120 MLD only. As per the norms, each citizen should get 130 litres of water daily, but the civic body is providing 100 litres to each citizen, once in a week. Moreover, there are more than 200 areas which deprived of pipeline connections (network). As a result, the AMC is supplying water to them through tankers for the past seven years.
One year ago, the state government granted Rs 1680 crore for the new water supply scheme. The project is yet to start. When contacted the AMC''s acting executive engineer, Kiran Dhande said, " The only alternate before the AMC is to bring water to the city in large quantity. The state government had approved the new water supply scheme. The tender procedure has been completed by Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), and the shortlisted contractor has been sent for final approval. The AMC will implement the scheme as soon as it gets a nod of the state government."