The Jai Ganesh Reservoir at Pingori in Purandar taluka has 18.52 million cubic feet of water, or 94% of its capacity, but the stored water is being reserved for drinking purposes amid the possibility of shortages. Farmers have been asked not to draw water from the reservoir for agriculture.
Avinash Jagtap, branch officer of the Garade Irrigation Branch, appealed to farmers to cooperate with the reservation plan and not lift water illegally from the reservoir. The direction comes despite the high current storage level, as the authorities are planning to retain water in all reservoirs for drinking purposes until 31 August 2027.
The water level at Jai Ganesh Reservoir was supported by sustained rainfall in the Pingori and Kawadewadi catchments at the end of July, according to the report. Purandar taluka had experienced a weak monsoon spell, but the later continuous rainfall in these two catchments brought relief to the area and helped maintain the reservoir’s storage.
The reservoir also carried water through the previous year’s summer. Heavy pre-monsoon rainfall in May last year meant that the reservoir began overflowing in June, allowing its storage to remain available until the current monsoon season. The continuing storage has provided relief in an area that has faced drought-like conditions.
The revival of the reservoir followed desilting work carried out through community participation. Villagers removed silt with machinery provided by social organisations, while the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust, local resident Baba Shinde and the Rotary Club were involved in the effort. The work was undertaken through voluntary labour during the difficult water situation and helped restore the reservoir’s capacity.
The revived reservoir has subsequently brought thousands of acres of land in the surrounding area under irrigation, according to the report. However, the present instruction separates the reservoir’s current drinking-water reserve from agricultural demand. The irrigation authorities have asked farmers not to use the stored water for farming, even as the reservoir remains 94% full.
The restriction reflects the government’s stated plan to preserve water in all reservoirs for drinking needs through 31 August 2027. Jagtap has specifically asked farmers not to remove water secretly from Jai Ganesh Reservoir and said that cooperation would be necessary to protect the drinking-water reserve. No separate release schedule for agricultural use was given in the report.
