Pimpri-Chinchwad to get water from Andra dam
News — By The Desk on May 8, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Times of India: The irrigation department has agreed to give 40 million litres per day (MLD) water from Andra dam to the Pimpri Chinchwad township. The municipal corporation had asked for 100 MLD water.
Pimpri-Chinchwad is dependent on Pavana dam for meeting its water needs. The state irrigation department releases water from the dam which is impounded at a bund at Ravet. About 428 MLD raw water is pumped in from Ravet to the water treatment plants at Nigdi where it is treated and supplied as drinking water to the twin township. The civic body has implemented four phases of water supply schemes to treat this water. The phase I has a capacity of 114 MLD, the phase II has 114 MLD capacity while phases III and IV have a capacity of 100 MLD each.
The city has a population of 17.5 lakh as per the 2011 census. Considering the growth rate, the PCMC will soon reach the maximum permissible limit of drawing 471 MLD of water from the Pavana river. The civic body had started the work on Pavana dam-Nigdi pipeline project to bring water of the dam directly to the water treatment plants at Nigdi, but the state government stayed it following farmers’ protest in Maval last year. This project was expected to increase the availability of water for PCMC as there would have been less loss through percolation or evaporation.
The civic body then turned its attention to Andra and Bhama Askhed dams in Maval and Mulshi talukas, located around 40 kms from the city. The civic body has sought 100 MLD water from these dams and made a provision of Rs 40 crore for development of alternative water source.
Meanwhile, the civic administration will table a proposal before the standing committee on May 8 seeking permission to allot the contract, without inviting bids, to prepare a feasibility report for bringing water from Bhama Askhed/Andra dams.
Municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma and irrigation department officials conducted an inspection of both these dams recently. Irrigation officials said that 40 MLD water could be made available from the Andra dam, depending on the state government’s approval. Sharma held a meeting with Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) project management advisor on March 21. Accordingly, the MJP will be asked to do feasibility report for payment of Rs 3 lakh without inviting bids. However, this proposal will need approval of the standing committee and the general body.
City engineer M T Kamble said, “The MJP will conduct the technical feasibility study of the project and submit a report to the civic body. There are two options for bringing the water from Andra – through a pipeline or through the Indrayani river which flows along the northern boundary of the municipal limits. The MJP will suggest the best option and give the rough estimate of the expenses.”
