Farmers warn of a deepening water crisis as the dam’s resources are diverted to cities

PUNE: For nearly two decades, the Bhama Askhed dam on the Bhama River in Khed tehsil of Pune district has been a lifeline for 30 villages. However, the same dam that once symbolised prosperity for the villagers could soon become the reason for their distress.Activists and farmers warn that these villages, which depend entirely on Bhama Askhed’s water, are facing a severe shortage in the coming years. The concern arises from a steady increase in the reservation of dam water for fast-expanding urban and industrial areas, leaving very little for agriculture.According to the state irrigation department, over the past decade, 2.67 TMC of water was earmarked for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and another 2.15 TMC for the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).

Additionally, 19 villages in the Chakan industrial belt already draw drinking water from the same dam.

Now, Chakan and Alandi municipal councils have also submitted fresh proposals seeking their share of Bhama Askhed’s supply. If these demands are approved, officials estimate that out of the dam’s total 7.35 TMC capacity, over 6 TMC will be diverted to urban and semi-urban consumption, leaving less than 1.5 TMC for irrigation and rural use.

HT Dhumal, Chief Engineer of the Krishna Valley Development Corporation, under which the dam falls, told TOI, “The state govt has cancelled the water reservation of the command area under the dam. Therefore, we had to scrap the left and right canal irrigation project of the dam. The govt has given priority to reserving water for drinking. We allow villages located in the backwater region of the dam to use water for farming purposes.

"For farmers, the growing urban demand spells disaster. “The water crisis here is turning into a 'ticking time bomb',” said Satyavan Navale, a local activist who has been pursuing the issue for years. “Over 2,300 hectares of farmland in these villages depend solely on the Bhama Askhed dam for irrigation. Once the city pipelines start drawing their full quota, there will be nothing left for the farmers.”Navale and other activists questioned the govt’s planning decisions, recalling how the right and left canal projects of the dam were scrapped midway.

“The left canal had already seen about three kilometres of construction before the project was suddenly stopped,” Navale said. “If the canals were completed, the farmers could have had a reliable irrigation system. Instead, those who once gave their land for the dam are now being deprived of water.

It’s a cruel irony," said Shantaram Sarvade, a farmers' activist from Khed.“The work on PCMC’s dedicated water pipeline project is in its final stage,” said a senior official from the state water resources department.

“Both Chakan and Alandi councils have been facing a severe water crisis for several years. Their projects are being treated as a priority considering the growing population and industrial expansion. Once completed, there will be less water available for agriculture.”The official added that with the rapid industrialisation around Chakan and Talegaon, water demand from factories and residential colonies is also set to rise.

“The industrial growth is seen as a symbol of progress, but it comes at a cost — water meant for farming will be the first casualty,” another official said.Experts say a scientific analysis on the ground should be done before reserving water. The Bhama Askhed situation reflects a larger trend across Maharashtra, where dams originally built for irrigation are being reallocated to meet urban drinking water needs. Pune district alone has witnessed several such shifts in recent years, with new industrial zones and urban councils drawing from reservoirs once meant for rural command areas, said the experts and officials.“The problem is not just about water supply — it’s about policy priorities,” said a retired irrigation engineer familiar with the project. “Cities keep expanding, and their political pressure ensures water allocations are revised in their favour. The farmers, with less voice, are left to cope with scarcity. Unless the state creates a balance, rural distress will worsen," added another retired irrigation engineer.Nine downstream dams also at risk. The Bhama Askhed dam doesn’t just serve its immediate command area. It also supports nine Kolhapur-type dams downstream that rely on its regulated discharge. Reduced releases, activists warn, will trigger a cascading impact across these smaller reservoirs, drying up irrigation channels in several adjoining villages.Once the water distribution tilts so heavily toward urban use, even those who are not directly under Bhama Askhed’s command area will feel the shortage. “It’s not just a local issue — it’s an entire ecosystem at stake," said an expert.Farmers are now urging the state govt to review water reservations and demand reservation for farming. “Urbanisation is inevitable, but so is our survival,” farmer activist Shantaram Sarvade said.