Sena MP, others gherao water supply dept official in Pune

Shiv Sena MP Shivaji Adhalrao Patil, Yamunanagar corporator Sulbha Ubale and party cadres on Thursday gheraoed assistant city engineer of water supply department of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), NT Kamble.

The Sena is sore over the poor water supply in ward A of the Pimpri-Chinchwad area. They threatened to step up their stir if the civic body fails to improve the supply in Chikhali, Moshi, Talwade, Triveninagar and other parts of the city.

“We cannot allow people to suffer due to poor availability of water. PCMC officials must shrug off their lethargy and improve water supply,” said Patil.

Sena MP Gajanan Babar on Thursday submitted a memorandum to PCMC commissioner Ashish Sharma demanding better water supply in ward A.

Babar said that the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had promised 24x7 water supply during its 2007 election campaign.

“But due to its misrule, the water supply in the city has deteriorated,” Babar alleged, reminding the civic officials that it had installed water meters despite opposition from residents.
Babar said that the NCP should stop playing politics over the water issue.

The civic administration on Wednesday had admitted that the water supply of ward A was disturbed due to the incomplete work of 1.15-km water pipeline from Sector 23 in Nigdi to Krishnanagar.

PCMC mayor Yogesh Behl, city engineer of water supply department Praveen Tupe and Kamble told reporters that the pipeline work was stalled due to land acquisition problems. Sharma had given instruction to complete the work as early as possible.

Tupe said, “To tackle the situation, we had decided to pump additional water from Pavana to supply to these areas. The problem will be sorted out within the next few days.”

Behl said, “I am the mayor of the whole city. It is my duty to treat all wards equally. Sadly, some corporators are politicising the issue.”