Pune’s clean water debate intensified after Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) councillors raised concerns in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s general body meeting over sewage from hotels and restaurants near Khadakwasla Dam allegedly flowing directly into the reservoir. The councillors also presented water purifiers to Mayor Manjusha Nagpure and Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, demanding action to protect the city’s drinking-water supply.
The issue centres on the Khadakwasla reservoir area, which is linked to Pune’s water supply system. According to the report, the councillors objected to wastewater from establishments around the dam entering the reservoir and used the meeting to press for measures to ensure that the water reaching Pune residents is clean.
Responding to the demand, Ganesh Bidkar, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s house leader, said the Bharatiya Janata Party was committed to providing clean water to Pune residents. He said action against encroachments in the dam area was already under way and that the Water Resources Department was also taking action.
Bidkar questioned leaders who, he said, were opposing the removal of encroachments. He called on the mayor and those who had presented the water-purifier machine to examine their position on the issue. His remarks came after the NCP councillors publicly linked the condition of the reservoir area with the quality of water supplied to the city.
The dispute places responsibility across more than one institution. The municipal corporation is responsible for urban administration and water-supply operations within the city, while the Water Resources Department has authority over the dam and its surrounding water-resource infrastructure. Effective action against illegal activity or wastewater discharge therefore requires coordination between the two authorities.
Bidkar also urged Opposition Leader Nilesh Nikam and councillor Amol Balwadkar to seek immediate action from Guardian Minister Sunetra Pawar. He said such a request would benefit Pune residents and accused the Opposition of misleading citizens for publicity.
The supplied report does not provide water-quality test results, details of specific establishments, the number of alleged encroachments, or a timeline for completing enforcement action. It also does not establish whether the reported discharge has affected the quality of water supplied to households. The immediate next step identified in the report is continued action by the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Water Resources Department against encroachments in the Khadakwasla reservoir area.
