Amid stiff resistance from the MNS, the state irrigation department here today released 600 cusecs of water from city's Khadakwasla reservoir to neighbouring Indapur and Daund tehsils, which are reeling under severe water shortage in wake of the prevailing drought situation in Maharashtra.
"Out of 1 TMC, 600 cusecs water has been released in the first phase and remaining water will be released in a phased manner to Indapur and Daund tehsils," A A Kapole, Superintendent Engineer, Pune Irrigation Circle said.
He said the local administration and irrigation department have made all the arrangements to make sure that the water reaches its destination.
"Striking force, flying squads, technical staff, police and officials from revenue department will be keeping close watch to make sure that water is not lifted illegally from the canal enroute," he said.
To avoid any untoward incident at the reservoir, police forces were deployed around the Khadakwasla reservoir.
Yesterday, MNS activists vandalised the state Irrigation department's office here protesting decision of sharing water from city reservoirs prompting police to tighten bandobast outside the office of District Guardian Minister Girish Bapat in city's Kasba area today.
"We have deployed two officers and 10 police personnel outside the office of the guardian minister," senior inspector of Vishrambaug police station Hemant Bhat said here.
The issue of release of water from Khadakwasla reservoir to Indapur and Daund tehsils in the district hotted up after MNS workers staged a violent protest while corporators from various parties opposed the decision saying it would aggravate the water shortage in Pune city.
After yesterday's incident, a case of rioting and damaging property was registered against MNS activists who vandalised Sinchan Bhavan, state Irrigation department's office here.
Bapat, in a joint meeting two days ago , took the decision to release 1 TMC water to Indapur and Daund tehsils, which are facing scarcity.
The decision was, however, opposed by corporators of various parties in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and a delegation, led by mayor Prashant Jagtap, even submitted a memorandum to the district collector yesterday to "rethink" over the decision.
Barring BJP, all other parties demanded that the decision be revoked and also sought resignation of Bapat.
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Meanwhile, Pune district collector Saurabh Rao said the city would not face any problem due to the release of water as there was enough stock in Khadakwasla reservoir to suffice till mid-July.
"Currently we have 5.20 TMC water in the reservoir and Pune city will need 2.75 TMC water till mid-July. Even after releasing 1 TMC water and considering that 0.75 TMC will vaporise, we will still have sufficient stock," said Rao at a press conference here this evening.
"I can assure you that present stock is more than sufficient and water crisis will not aggravate in the city and even if the crisis situation arises after July 15, we have additional one TMC water available as dead stock.
"With current pumping system available with us, we will be able to lift the water from the dead stock, however, the way we have done the water management before taking the decision of water sharing, we are pretty sure that such situation will not arrive," he said.
There would not even be more water cuts in the city, the collector said.
Rao also refuted the claim that civic officials were not taken into confidence before taking the decision.
"In the first meeting the municipal commissioner was present and in subsequent meetings even Mayor was there," he said.
The electricity supply had been cut off at some points along the canal which is taking the water to Daund and Indapur so that the water is not pumped out en route, he said.
The water released from Khadakwasla would give relief to over 4 lakh people and the cattle in the two tehsils, he said.
