Major leakages on Pench-Nagpur water pipeline
The first day of the New Year brought for Nagpurians unpleasant news. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has taken up the repair of major leakages at four places on Pench-Nagpur water pipeline, due to which Nagpur city will receive alternate day water supply for a month, from January 6.
Vijay alias Pintu Zalke, Chairman of NMC Water Supply Committee and also of Standing Committee, told media persons on Friday that the leakage on the 27-km long pipeline was noticed some time ago. However, then, it was small. Now, major leakages have been noticed at four locations near villages Parseoni, Itgaon, and Karambhad. The leakage at Itgaon is the biggest one and a huge quantity of water is going waste.
To plug the leakage in 2300-mm diameter pipeline, Zalke said, NMC has decided to take up repair works. “Since the works include various components including cleaning of pipeline, sucking out of water, jacketing, installing flow meter etc., the repair works will take at least one month. During this period, 65 per cent of the areas in Nagpur city will receive alternate day water supply,” he said. This will affect the city areas barring the Nehru Nagar and Lakadganj zones, and parts of Satranjipura and Ashi Nagar zones, he added.
Asked about reasons behind leakage, Zalke said that there could be different reasons. “We will have to open up the pipeline to ascertain the reason. But, leakage might have been a result of any of the factors including rusting of pipeline, pressure fluctuations. May be someone tried to draw water illegally and damaged the pipeline in the process…” he said. The city draws 480 MLD water from Pench and 200 MLD from Kanhan reservoirs.
Shweta Banerjee, Superintending Engineer, Water Works Department, NMC, told media persons that NMC did not take up alternate day water supply in summer to avoid causing inconvenience to people then. “In monsoon, repairs cannot be done. In winter, farmers who draw water from the reservoir have to harvest their crops.
Then again comes summer, when water supply cannot be stopped. If system is to be maintained well, leakages need to be repaired properly now. Hence, alternate day water supply till the repair works are over, is to be done now,” she said.
