Pune: 18,650 Residents Depend On Tanker Water Amid Drought; 294 Borewell Schemes Approved

Pune: Water scarcity continues in parts of rural Pune district despite the region receiving 95% of its average rainfall. Eight tankers are currently supplying water to five villages and 53 hamlets, benefiting around 18,650 people, according to the Pune Zilla Parishad's Rural Water Supply Department. The administration has approved 294 new borewell schemes and sanctioned ₹2.49 crore for the projects. Drilling for all the approved borewells has been completed.

The district has also approved repairs to 611 existing borewells at an estimated cost of ₹2.56 crore to improve water availability in rural areas. Tanker supplies are currently underway in Baramati, Daund and Indapur talukas. The district has recorded an average rainfall of 819 mm, around 95% of its normal rainfall. The district administration is monitoring the situation and sanctioning additional tankers as required. It is also acquiring private wells and borewells to maintain water supplies in affected areas.

294 new borewell schemes approved

The department's update does not specify how many of the newly drilled borewells have become operational and started supplying water to residents.

Repairs to the 611 existing borewells are expected to restore those that have stopped functioning or are supplying less water than required.

In addition, the government has approved ₹5.36 crore for repairs and improvements to rural water supply infrastructure. The funds will cover special repairs to 33 piped water supply schemes, 10 water source-strengthening projects and 21 projects involving the deepening and desilting of wells.

Work on the Morgaon, Bele and Shivri regional water supply schemes has been completed, according to the department.

Maharashtra government sets 15-day deadline

The measures in Pune district come amid a wider drought response across Maharashtra. On Wednesday, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule directed district collectors to submit district-wise proposals for drought relief measures within 15 days for presentation to the Chief Minister.

At a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Drought at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, Bawankule said stopped water supply schemes must be restarted urgently. Schemes that have become non-functional because of pending electricity bills or a lack of transformers must be prioritised.

He directed districts to use available funds from the 15th Finance Commission to clear pending electricity bills. Other districts were asked to process outstanding payments through a one-time settlement scheme. The Energy Department was also directed to provide transformers wherever their absence has halted water supply.

Bawankule said tankers should be used only after officials assess other available options. These include acquiring private wells with available water, repairing defective hand pumps, strengthening existing water sources and completing water supply projects that are 75% to 80% complete.

The government has also directed officials to activate the Tanker App and Global Positioning System (GPS) systems before starting tanker operations to monitor water distribution.

State plans ahead for water and fodder shortages

The state government is preparing for possible water scarcity during the coming months. The Pune Zilla Parishad's Rural Water Supply Department said planning is underway to address potential shortages between October 2026 and June 2027. Officials have been instructed to take the necessary measures.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Drought also reviewed preparations for possible fodder shortages. Bawankule said fodder camps were not expected to be necessary until December based on the current assessment. However, he directed officials to identify districts that could face shortages and encourage the cultivation of short-duration, low-cost fodder crops.

District collectors will coordinate fodder management, with the Agriculture Department responsible for implementation and the Animal Husbandry Department monitoring the work. The departments have been asked to prepare a standard operating procedure within a week, covering fodder production and distribution.

The government is also considering transporting fodder from districts with a surplus to those facing shortages. Officials were asked to explore fodder cultivation on suitable forest land and silted land near water bodies.

Additional Chief Secretary Vinita Ved Singhal said agricultural crop-damage assessments were expected to be completed in the coming days. A final proposal seeking drought relief funds from the Central Government is expected to be prepared by the end of October.

Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal said funds for drought relief work would be made available through District Planning Committees.