Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar chaired a crucial meeting on Saturday to address the pressing water crisis gripping western Maharashtra, convening with administrative officials at the Circuit House in Pune. Notable attendees included prominent leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), namely Supriya Sule, Rajesh Tope, and Rohit Pawar.
Ahead of the meeting, Supriya Sule, representing the Baramati constituency in the Lok Sabha, voiced grave apprehensions regarding the acute scarcity of drinking water in her region. Expressing her concerns to reporters, she underscored the urgency of the situation, particularly emphasizing the depletion of water reserves at the Ujani Dam and Nazare Dam within her constituency.
“As the Guardian Minister of Pune district, Ajit Pawar holds a pivotal role in addressing the water crisis,” Sule remarked, highlighting the severity of the predicament faced by residents of Baramati. “It’s imperative that the government takes decisive action to mitigate the challenges posed by the water crisis,” she added, emphasizing her intent to apprise Deputy CM Ajit Pawar of the dire circumstances prevailing in her constituency.
Sule’s advocacy for immediate government intervention stems from her recent criticisms of the state administration’s purported neglect of the water scarcity plaguing Baramati. In a public statement issued on February 22, she decried the government’s inaction, particularly during an election year, urging authorities to prioritize drought relief efforts and ensure adequate water supply for both human consumption and agricultural needs.
The NCP leader reiterated her plea for urgent measures to alleviate the water scarcity, emphasizing the critical need for fodder camps for livestock and provision of drinking water through tanker services, especially in rural areas. Additionally, she underscored the importance of preserving biodiversity in forested regions by facilitating water access to prevent wildlife encroachment into human settlements.
With Maharashtra grappling with a multifaceted water crisis, the collaborative efforts of government officials and proactive engagement by leaders like Supriya Sule and Rajesh Tope underscore the imperative for swift and effective action to address this pressing challenge.
