Pune: Residents in the Kharadi and Chandannagar areas have been enduring inadequate and low-pressure water supply for the past four months, leading to widespread frustration.
While some areas haven’t received water for the past three days, many residents have begun to suspect that this could be a politically motivated issue, intentionally created ahead of the upcoming elections.
One of the frustrated residents, Yogita Ambade, highlighted the challenges faced by her society, which consists of hundreds of flats. "We only receive water at low pressure through four taps for just one and a half hours.
This is insufficient to meet the needs of so many families. There needs to be a better supply system, but currently, we barely receive 50% of the water we require," she said. Despite the water tank overflowing, residents are still not receiving adequate water, she added.
The growing scarcity of water has led to a booming tanker business, with many residents being forced to purchase water at exorbitant prices. Yogita further explained, "We end up paying triple the price for water tankers when there’s no supply. It’s unfair that we pay taxes yet have to spend out of pocket for basic needs like water.
Previously, when Nitin Jadhav was the water supply officer, he managed the distribution much better, but since his transfer, the water shortage in Kharadi has worsened."
Another resident, Deepak Patil from Gulmohar Queens Town, expressed similar concerns, stating that despite informing the Municipal Commissioner about the ongoing water crisis, there has been no significant change.
"Kharadi contributes the highest taxes, yet we don’t receive basic amenities. It seems the officials are only concerned about showing up to work and collecting their salaries. Even after installing meters for the equal water distribution scheme, the issue of water shortage continues," said Patil.
Eknath Gadekar, the Executive Engineer of the Water Supply Department, explained that the shortage was due to ongoing repair work on the Lashkar Water Supply Scheme pipeline, which caused a two-day disruption in supply.
"There is enough water available, and we are working to resolve the distribution issues. The suspicion of an artificial water shortage is completely unfounded," he clarified.
Affected Areas:
The areas most affected by the ongoing water supply issues include Tulja Bhavani Nagar, Blueberry, Saturn Bricks, Urban Nirvana, Nivo Plaza, Ganga Constella, Gulmohar Gold Coast, Mountain Glory, Rajaram Patil Nagar, and new societies along the new road from Mundhwa Bridge to Kharadi, as well as Vrindavan Nagar and Tukaram Nagar.
