PMC is unable to provide tanker water to 23 merged villages. Our readers suggest steps to address the issue
PMC is unable to provide tanker water to 23 merged villages and infrastructure work is underway for piped supply to reach these areas. With summer around the corner when the water crisis deepens, the tanker lobby raises the stakes. Our readers suggest steps to address the issue
Responsibility lies with the civic administration
It is the responsibility of the civic body to supply the villages with water. These 23 villages are now a part of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). We reside in Sus gaon, and we get hard water. It is not fit to drink or use. However, we are using it as it is. We are forced to use this water because the pipeline has not been operational yet. The PMC water that we get is treated and is not fit to drink directly. Because of the poor quality of water, the children in my family fall sick very often. I feel that the respective ward office will finish the work before summer approaches. It is not possible for every household to get water from tankers. If the groundwater has hard water, then the civic body should complete the work sooner to provide water to these villages. The issue of the merged villages has been dragging on for a very long time. It must be resolved soon to give relief to citizens in these parts of the city.
-Sarika Gaikwad
Not everyone can afford water tankers
I had rented a room in Dhayari area earlier as I was attending some coaching classes in the peth area. However, there was frequent water shortage which forced me to relocate to another area in the city. I would not be home during most part of the day due to my classes. I was forced to find a way to manage the water crisis. The water crisis has to be resolved by the PMC before summer begins. There are many societies where tankers supply water, but individual and small homes have to manage on their own. Water from the bore well is hard and is not fit for drinking. Many citizens have raised their voices against the crisis but the complainants have fallen on deaf ears. PMC should understand that citizens continue to suffer even when it is not summer. If the infrastructure was not in place then why has the PMC included these villages in its limits in the first place.
-Nandini Waghmare
Provide basic needs without extra cost
Pune Municipal Corporation is responsible for providing the basic needs such as water to the citizens. If the water pipeline work is underway, they should make some other arrangements to help the residents in these areas. Citizens should not have to pay for the basic needs while also paying taxes for the same. The tanker mafia may cost an exorbitant amount when summer starts and the water crisis continues. Instead of the citizens having to pay for the tanker, the municipality should pay for it. Meanwhile, PMC can take as much time as they need to get the pipeline ready. The concern and focus should be that the citizens should not suffer.
-Amruta Deshpande
Do not aid the water mafia
Last year the PMC decreased the quantity of water supplied per tanker. Many activists have raised concerns that this might aid the water mafia. If the water supply to these 23 merged villages is not in place, the water mafia may seek to benefit from this opportunity by charging many residents higher prices especially during the summer. Many big societies have made their own provisions to solve the water crisis issue. But as a tax paying citizen it is imperative for the civic body to help out citizens by providing basic infrastructure like pipelines. All across the city, we can see that potholes have been dug for the pipeline work. This work should be accelerated in order to finish it before summer season begins.
-Niranjan Vaidya
