AA video showing a water tanker sprinkling plants on a road divider during heavy rainfall on Pune's Paud Road has triggered widespread criticism on social media. Many residents questioned why water was being used for irrigation at a time when parts of the city are dealing with water cuts, accusing the civic administration of wasting a precious resource.
The clip quickly went viral, with several users mocking the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and raising concerns over civic planning and water management.
PMC says rainwater does not reach the plants
Responding to the controversy, Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divate clarified that the divider is not maintained by the PMC but by Pune Metro.
“The particular road divider is maintained and supervised by the Pune Metro. There is a bridge for the elevated Metro route above the divider which spans a very large area. The road divider is in the middle. Rainwater does not fall along this place. The employee is watering the plants to save them,” said Divate,according to Indian Express.
According to the civic official, the elevated Metro structure blocks rainwater from reaching the plants below, making artificial watering necessary despite the ongoing showers.
BJP leader seeks detailed inquiry
The incident also drew the attention of BJP leader Sandeep Khardekar, who demanded a thorough investigation into the matter after the video sparked outrage online.
“Today, a video of a tanker watering trees in heavy rain has gone viral on all social media and the Pune civic body and its corporators were mocked. There is a lot of criticism over it,” he said.
Khardekar said he personally traced those involved and spoke to both the owner of the water tanker and the individual who had hired the vehicle.
Advertising agency hired tanker to save plants
During his inquiry, Khardekar found that the tanker had been rented by an advertising agency that holds advertising rights granted by Pune Metro. As part of its agreement, the agency is also responsible for maintaining and beautifying the divider.
The agency reportedly informed him that the plants had not received water for around 10 days. To prevent them from drying out, it hired a tanker to irrigate the greenery despite the rainy weather.
Khardekar urged the PMC administration to examine these findings and verify whether established procedures were followed.
Water reportedly sourced from a borewell
The tanker owner also clarified that the water used for irrigation was not drawn from the municipal drinking water supply. According to Khardekar, the tanker was filled using water from a borewell in Pune's Warje area.
The explanation has added context to the controversy, though the viral video continues to fuel debate over water conservation, urban landscaping, and public perception during the monsoon season.
