Pimpri-Chinchwad: Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne of the Maval Lok Sabha constituency has asked the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to regulate private water tanker operators and verify the source and quality of the water they supply amid the ongoing 15% water cut in the city.
Chairing a review meeting with civic officials on Monday, Barne said residents are being forced to buy water from private tankers at high prices. He directed the civic administration to maintain records of tanker operators and take action if they are found supplying unsafe drinking water.
The meeting was held following a rise in complaints about reduced water supply after PCMC imposed a 15% water cut four days ago. Additional Commissioner Vikrant Bagade and senior officials from the Water Supply Department attended the meeting.
Barne said complaints of low water pressure, uneven distribution and contaminated water have increased. He questioned why water distribution remains unequal despite the installation of the SCADA system, the replacement of meters and pipelines, and the construction of new water reservoirs.
He also claimed that around 30% of the city's water is lost due to leakages. He alleged that illegal water connections continue to exist and said the civic administration has failed to stop them.
The MP also asked the municipal corporation to clean the riverbed from where untreated water is pumped. He further urged the administration to pursue the state government for an additional seven TMC of water from Mulshi Dam to meet the city's growing demand.
During the meeting, officials stated that Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are operational in 369 of the city's 494 housing societies, while 125 societies have non-functional STPs. Barne directed the civic administration to inspect such societies and suggested setting up small STPs in older housing societies where full-scale plants cannot be installed.
Barne also raised concerns over damage to the Pavana closed water pipeline in Kiwale. He alleged that two housing societies removed sections of the pipeline during construction, causing a loss of crores of rupees to the municipal corporation. He demanded a detailed inquiry into the incident and strict action against those responsible.
