Will Stop Electricity Generation At Mulshi Dam To Supply Water To Pune: Ajit Pawar

Mrunal Jadhav

Pune, January 2, 2021: “We are trying to supply five million cubic feet (TMC) of water to Pune by cutting off power generation from the Mulshi dam as there is surplus power in the country as well as in the state,” Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Friday.

Pawar was speaking at the inauguration of the Bhama Askhed water supply scheme set up to supply water to East Pune. “Bhama Askhed project has been started to quench the growing thirst of Pune. There were many difficulties while working on this project. The project was shut down seven times. I had instructed to give Rs 15 lakh to each family of these project victims. Most of the amount is given by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Therefore, we will waive the Rs 260 crore levied on Pune Municipal Corporation for water rehabilitation. I will raise this question in the Cabinet meeting,” informed Pawar.

The previous Devendra Fadnavis government had appointed a committee to report on the power generation at the Mulshi dam. “We are following up on it. If we stop generating electricity from this dam, we will be able to use the water”, Pawar said.

Pawar lashed out at the tanker mafia without mentioning the names of the tanker mafias in the Wadgaon Sheri area. This project may cause ‘stomachache’ to some people.

Meeting for water management:  After getting water from Bhama Askhed, the original water supply will be reduced in Pune. Against this backdrop, Chandrakant Patil and Murlidhar Mohol demanded that Pune’s water should not be reduced. He said that 23 villages are also included in Pune, so the need for water has increased. “We will decide on this issue by holding a meeting of all party people’s representatives and officials”, said Ajit Pawar.