Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Mayor Sameer Rajurkar, on Monday, instructed the municipal corporation administration to submit a concrete action plan by February 25 to reduce the gap in the city’s water supply. The mayor emphasized that the administration should focus on solutions rather than listing problems.
Some new colonies are receiving water only once every 8–10 days. The mayor has previously assured residents that the “gap” in supply will be reduced. A water supply meeting was scheduled for Monday, but deputy mayor Rajendra Janjal was in Mumbai, so the meeting was held on Tuesday morning with municipal commissioner G Sreekanth and other officials from the water supply department in attendance.
Earlier, the mayor instructed saying, “ Each meeting will not exceed 15–20 minutes. Discussions will focus strictly on reducing the water supply gap. No discussion on unrelated matters. Officials should work proactively and positively; transfers or reassignments are not punishments. Later, he ordered them to submit a detailed action plan by February 25.
Commissioner G Sreekanth also requested that corporators should not exert pressure on line-men for extra water supply in specific areas or insist on giving more water to new colonies with pipelines. In “no network” areas, water supply via tankers will continue. He also urged corporators to cooperate with the administration regarding unauthorised water connections.
900 mm pipeline not yielding expected results
To improve supply, last year the municipal corporation spent ₹200 crore to lay a 900 mm diameter pipeline from Jayakwadi to Pharola water treatment plant, expected to deliver 75 MLD. In reality, the pipeline is supplying only 20–22 MLD, because adding extra water to Pharola exceeds treatment capacity. Officials were questioned why this was not considered before laying the pipeline.
Closure of 700 mm old pipeline
The oldest 700 mm diameter pipeline, laid in 1973, should be completely shut, as advised by the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP). Currently, it supplies 25–30 MLD. Shutting it down will not increase the city’s water supply by the expected 75 MLD, but the new 900 mm pipeline should be fully utilised instead.
Box
Current Status of City Water Supply
Supply: 145 MLD from Jayakwadi Dam
Demand: 210 MLD
Deficit: 65 MLD
Additional Source: 7 MLD from Harsul Lake