Pune water conservation efforts are set to accelerate after the Zilla Parishad’s Minor Irrigation Department prepared a plan to repair percolation tanks, diversion weirs, village ponds and storage bunds damaged by heavy rainfall. The plan has been submitted to the District Planning Committee for approval, with the department seeking timely clearances so that more rainwater can be captured and recharged into the ground during the coming monsoon.
The repair programme is part of a wider drought-mitigation plan for areas facing the possibility of water scarcity. According to the department, the plan was prepared after a technical assessment of Pune district’s geographical conditions and available water resources. Its stated focus is to restore the storage and irrigation capacity of existing water conservation structures rather than rely only on tanker supplies during periods of shortage.
The proposed approach includes creating decentralised water storage in villages, improving groundwater levels and providing protected irrigation for agriculture. Structures including percolation tanks and bunds are to be repaired so that their capacity to hold water and support irrigation can be restored. The department said the work would be particularly relevant in villages where excessive water use has contributed to falling groundwater levels and where residents remain vulnerable to water shortages.
The plan also includes water-storage preparation up to August 31, 2027. The department has highlighted the need to plan available water reserves against the backdrop of El Niño and has prioritised repairs, water retention and groundwater recharge. The objective is to store a larger share of the water available during the next monsoon and use it more effectively through the following period.
Executive Engineer Gaurav Borkar of the Zilla Parishad’s Minor Irrigation Department said public participation would be important for completing the drought-mitigation plan on time and to the required standard. He said timely approval and implementation of the proposed works could help reduce water shortages in rural areas and provide protected irrigation to farmers.
Alongside the repair programme, 211 works have been proposed under the ‘Galmukt Dharan, Galyukt Shivar’ campaign, which focuses on removing silt from dams and water-storage structures. Desilting can increase the volume of water that these structures are able to hold, according to the department.
Eligible farmers under the campaign can receive a subsidy of Rs 34.75 per cubic metre for transporting removed silt. The assistance is capped at Rs 15,000 for one acre and up to Rs 30,500 for two acres. Priority is to be given to eligible small and marginal farmers, widows, persons with disabilities and families affected by farmer suicides. The immediate milestone for the programme is approval by the District Planning Committee, after which the proposed repair, desilting and recharge works can move towards implementation.
