Pune: Water will be released from the Khadakwasla dam chain project for the first summer cycle for agriculture use in rural areas from March 1. This will be provided through the new Mutha canal. Water will be continuously supplied for the next 55 days, and the Water Resources Department has planned to supply as many as five billion cubic feet (TMC) of water. (Water Resources Department starts Khadakwasla water release in rural areas for summer crops)
The four dams that supply water to the city namely Temghar, Varasgaon, Panshet and Khadakwasla have a total of 18.74 TMC, i.e. 64.27 percent of the remaining water. Five TMC of water will be released through the first summer cycle. After that, in second summer cycle, water will be released to rural areas, estimating the availability in the dams during summer. Vijay Patil, Executive Engineer of Khadakwasla Irrigation Department said that according to the amount of water remaining after the end of the first summer cycle, the amount of water to be released in the second cycle will be decided.
Meanwhile, Khadakwasla dam chain projects currently have 0.93 TMC more water storage than last year. Last year till February 28, 17.81 TMC, i.e. 61.09 per cent, of water storage was left in all the four dams. The weather department has expressed the possibility that this year, the summer season will be more intense. Therefore, there is a possibility of more evaporation of water in the dams during summer. Also, the demand for water in cities and rural areas increases during summer.
3.81 TMC of water was released from Khadakwasla Dam for Rabi season from December 25 to February 6, 2023 for agriculture in rural areas. Now it is planned to release water for agriculture in two phases in summer. For that, an in-principle approval has been taken from Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil, who is the Chairman of the Canal Advisory Committee. Accordingly, Patil also said that the first summer rotation will started from March 1.
