Pune: The irrigation department has beefed up vigil at vulnerable locations near dams almost full to capacity, anticipating rush of people on weekends and holidays. Additional personnel have been deployed to step up monitoring. Besides, the irrigation department will approach the police stations in the vicinity of respective dams to deploy teams to enhance surveillance and restrict people from entering into reservoirs ’ water.
Four reservoirs in the Khadakwasla circle, Pavana dam that supplies water to Pimpri Chinchwad and Mulshi dam on the Pune-Tamhini ghat road are under watch. Smaller dams like Kasarsai, Andra, Bhama Askhed and Chaskaman in Pune district would also be monitored. The irrigation department said it was advisable to stay away from water currents because dams’ catchments were receiving spells of rain and rainwater was flowing into the reservoirs at considerable speed.
Spells of rain returned in catchments on Friday, after a break of a couple of days. Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar received over 20mm rainfall each till Friday evening. The stock of all the three dams is about 90% of their respective storage capacity.
An irrigation department official said, “Our teams have been deployed at bothe the banks of the Khadakwasla dam site and near its wall. About eight to 10 locations are under watch. We are working with the local police.
The dam is full and the water-level is going up after heavy spells. People often misjudge the situation at the boundary of the .