Pune water shutdown called off over private tanker operators’ strike

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Pune Municipal Corporation announced a citywide water shutdown Thursday for repair and maintenance of the water supply system. (File Photo)The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Thursday cancelled the planned citywide water shutdown, citing a strike by private tanker operators that was later withdrawn after Mayor Manjusha Nagpure intervened.PMC announced a citywide water shutdown on Thursday for repair and maintenance of the water supply system.“The scheduled water closure has been called off on Thursday due to the strike of private water tankers,” said an officer of the civic body’s Water Supply Department.The strike followed civic action against tanker operators after two deaths caused by a rash-driven tanker in the Mohammadwafi area.Also Read | Two young lives crushed by rogue water tankers in NIBM-Wanowrie in three days, residents fumeLater, Mayor Nagpure reached out to the private water tankers to call off their strike, saying it would cause inconvenience to citizens. She assured them she would request the administration to avoid unnecessary action, leading to the strike being called off.The civic body performs routine maintenance on the water supply system every Thursday, ensuring it is carried out in different areas on a rotating basis.The planned closure was scheduled from midnight Wednesday to midnight Thursday.Story continues below this adAccording to PMC, the areas getting water supply from the purification plant in Parvati, Vadgaon Budhruk, Pune Cantonment, Warje, and Kondhwe-Dhavde were to be affected.Meanwhile, PMC is likely to introduce a water cut in the city, as per directions from the Maharashtra Water Resources Department, to manage the existing stock.PMC said alternate-day water cuts could save 25 per cent of water, while a once-a-week cut may save 10 per cent, adding that technical impacts on the supply system need to be assessed.The Maharashtra Water Resources Department said the available water stock in the four dams that supply water to Pune is 13.20 TMC, which is 45.29 per cent of the total storage capacity. Last year this time, the storage was 12.04 TMC.Story continues below this adDam water is managed until August 31 if the monsoon is delayed, requiring careful use of current reserves. A 15 per cent cut would reduce supply by 250–300 MLD, with PMC drawing about 1–1.5 TMC from dams.