Water treatment plant plan at Chikhali put on hold again

PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The standing committee of the civic body has for the second time put on hold the proposal to construct a 100 MLD treatment plant at Chikahli and tide over the water shortage in the city.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) proposal of allotting the contract for constructing the plant at Chikhali at Rs46.48 crore and another contract for operations, repair and maintenance for 10 years at Rs32.54 crore came up for approval at the standing committee’s weekly meeting on Wednesday.
“Officials of the water supply department gave a presentation on the treatment plant project. The members had sought information about the comparative analysis of running the existing plant at Nigdi. It will be provided at the next weekly meeting,” standing committee chairperson Vilas Madigeri told TOI.
Pimpri Chinchwad is facing a water crisis despite the Pavana overflowing for the third time this monsoon. The PCMC had withdrawn the alternate day water supply a month ago after the dam became 100% full a month ago.
The measure, however, could not bring an end to water crisis in many parts of the city. The civic administration has since started taking many steps to streamline the supply.
The PCMC has exhausted its allotted quota from the Pavana dam and it needs to get water from other reservoirs to meet the citizens’ requirements. The state government has agreed to give 100 MLD water from Andra and 167 MLD from Bhama Askhed dams. In the first phase, the civic administration proposes to utilize 100 MLD water of Andra dam and supply it to the citizens in the Indrayani river basin.
“The water released from Andra will be impounded at the bund in Dehu village and taken to the treatment plant at Chikhali. A land measuring eight in Chikhali is with the civic body, where a 300 MLD plant can be constructed. But in the first phase, we want to construct a 100 MLD plant,” said Pravin Ladkat, the executive engineer in the PCMC’s water supply department said.
The civic body lifts 480-500 MLD water from Pavana dam at Ravet and purchases 30 MLD water from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
The water of the Pavana dam is supplied to the entire municipal limits. The plan is to ensure water supply for the residents of Talawade, Chikhali, Moshi, Charholi, Dighi, Dudulgaon and Chowiswadi in the Indrayani river basin from the Andra dam.