- Nagpur imposes an Rs 5000 fine and FIRs for water wastage.
- Pune implements weekly water supply cuts, bans vehicle washing.
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar faces severe daily water loss from evaporation.
Maharashtra is battling a severe water crisis triggered by intense heatwaves and insufficient rainfall. To combat the growing scarcity, the state government has outlined a series of strict measures. The initiatives introduced by the Shinde administration include imposing heavy fines for water wastage, initiating legal action against water theft, and enforcing mandatory supply cuts in major cities such as Nagpur, Pune, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to conserve vital resources.
The El Nino effect and the inefficient monsoon have led the agricultural state into a critical point where the shortage has emerged not just as a livelihood and health concern but also as a law and order challenge.
It is very unusual to witness an October with temperatures rising to 38 degrees Celsius. The ground has become drier amid an insufficient downpour; water levels are descending rapidly. The conditions are pointing to a situation with extreme scarcity in the urban areas. Directives emerging from three major cities – Nagpur, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, point to increasingly stringent measures for the coming days.
Illegal tap connections to be checked in Nagpur
Authorities have declared a fine of Rs 5000 in Nagpur for wasting water. Wastage of water will no longer be treated as a minor mistake. Water reservoirs in the city are holding 58 per cent of their capacity. Following this, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has announced a series of restrictions to curb consumption.
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The key measures are as follows:
A penalty of Rs 5,000 will be imposed for each instance of water wastage. This includes washing vehicles, cleaning streets or courtyards, watering gardens and using potable water for construction.
Raids would be carried out to detect illegal tap connections and tampering with water meters. FIRs will be registered against offenders. Camps will be organised at the zonal level to facilitate legal connections, while water meters will be made mandatory for every connection.
What are the curbs in Pune
A city-wide water supply cut will be implemented every Thursday, beginning October 15. Closure of government and private vehicle washing centres until further notice. The use of potable water for construction, gardening and swimming pools will be strictly prohibited.
Washing vehicles, courtyards and footpaths with municipal or borewell water will be prohibited. Additionally, the government has ordered a reduction of at least 10 per cent in water consumption from October 16, with the aim of stretching available reserves until August 31, 2027.
Authorities have directed housing societies to keep their sewage treatment plants operational and use treated water for gardening and flushing. FIRs will be lodged against those found using illegal connections, while residents have been urged to report leaks promptly through the PMC Care platform.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Suffers From Evaporation Losses
While Nagpur and Pune are tightening restrictions to curb wastage of water, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in the drought-prone Marathwada region faces a different crisis: severe evaporation losses. The Jayakwadi Dam, the city's primary reservoir, loses roughly 1.649 million cubic meters (1.649 billion liters) of water daily to evaporation.
To put this in perspective, the daily water evaporation loss from the dam equals about seven days of water supply for the city's 1.8 million residents.Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar requires 200 to 230 million litres per day (MLD), with 184 million cubic metres (MCM) reserved for the city this year.