Pune: Residents of Somnath Nagar in Wadgaon Sheri have taken to the streets in protest after facing severe water shortages for the past two months. Women from the area, who have been struggling to secure even a bucket of water daily, have declared that they will not end their indefinite protest until their demands are met.
Despite repeated complaints to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), no concrete action has been taken to improve water supply in the affected areas, which include Somnath Nagar, Dhanlaxmi Society, and Grewal Society. Frustrated by the inaction, the women began their sit-in protest on Monday (March 24).
In response to the agitation, officials from the Water Supply Department, including Executive Engineer Eknath Gadekar, visited the protesters to address their concerns. The officials assured residents that the supply would be normalized within two months and promised to provide water tankers in the meantime.
However, the protesters remained unconvinced, citing previous unfulfilled assurances. “We have been hearing these promises for two months now. We no longer trust the authorities. Until we get regular water supply, we will not stop our protest,” said local resident Sangeeta Ovhal.
Gadekar explained that while sufficient water is available in the reservoir, the existing pipelines, which are over 30 years old, may be causing disruptions. Efforts are underway to resolve the issue, he added.
