NAGPUR: Unlike in the past, citizens will not have to face any water shortage during next summer, thanks to Nagpur Municipal Corporation that has assured to augment water supply by additional 50 mld. However, for the time being, mayor Maya Iwnate has assured to restore regular water supply in the localities across the city only after November 5.
At present, the corporation's water works department is undertaking 10-day shutdown at the Pench Phase-I pumping station at Gorewada dam to facilitate replacement of old pumping machinery. The replacement work is being carried out under the centrally-funded energy audit programme in the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Hence the NMC has been forced to supply water every alternate day in the city, she added.
A water works department official while talking to TOI informed that the pumping machinery at Pench-I was installed way back in 1982 and needs to be replaced.
At least three shutdowns are required to complete the total work. First shutdown was implemented in last summer while the other is underway. The third and last one will be announced in January next year.
The civic official informed that at present the NMC is supplying 470 mld water to city mainly from Pench, Gorewada dam and Kanhan river. Pench-I project supplies 90 mld water, Pench -II around 135 mld while Pench-III commissioned in 2004 supplies 118 mld water. Besides 120 mld comes from Kanhan pumping station and remaining from old Gorewada dam pumping station.
Soon after replacing the age-old electro-mechanical machinery with the new energy efficient machinery at Pench-I, the city will draw additional 30 mld water and a regular water supply will be restored in all the localities across the city by next summer, the official added.
A senior civic official further refuted the reports published in a section of the media that there will be severe water crisis next summer.
Meanwhile, the Nagpur Municipal Corporationwater supply committee chairman, Sudhakar Kohle, while talking to TOI informed that during the 10-day shutdown major valve at Pench-I pumping station developed a technical snag, which cut down almost 210 mld water supply in city.
After the repairing work is over, the city will start receiving addition 30 mld water from November 5, while further 20 mld will be received by summer next year, he added.
Lets see
NMC and govt - they only promise.
They do say these words - and when time comes, they just dis-appear. Similar statment was given in Jun/July - when they declared that water will be supplied to all areas daily.
In Manish Nagar, somalwdada - water pipe was laid last year - but still no water is there. We still use bore-well water for drinking.
Same is the case with electicity - tons of promises were made in May/June - and see now - huge power cuts in Winter - what will happen in summer - no power?
Vinay Yadav
http://www.vinayras.com