8 hours ago
Tamhini Ghat receives 370mm rain; 205mm recorded in Lonavla; water discharge from Khadakwasla dam reduced
Pune: Several parts of Pune received light showers on Friday, against the India Meteorological Department's forecast of yellow alert. The break in heavy spell provided a breather to thousands of warkaris, who accompanied the annual Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhis.
They are headed to Pandharpur for the Ashadhi Ekadashi rituals.
The ghat sections in the district continued to witness a significant spell, with Tamhini and Lonavla recording 370mm and 205mm rain respectively in 24 hours ending at 8.30am on Friday. Elsewhere, Kurvande recorded 129mm rain, followed by Girivan (160mm), Nimgiri (116mm), Bhor (109mm), Malin (69mm), and Talegaon (65.5mm).
For Saturday, IMD has issued a yellow alert (moderate to heavy rain) for Pune.
IMD has predicted "generally cloudy sky; light rain very likely".
All the key stations in Pune recorded "light to moderate" rain in the 24 hours ending at 8.30pm on Friday. These locations included Shivajinagar (25.7mm), Pashan (33.8mm), Lohegaon (26.6mm), Chinchwad (35.5mm), Lavale (40.0mm), Magarpatta (31mm), and NDA (38mm).
The irrigation department on Friday reduced the water discharge from Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river to a rate of 7,800 cusecs from 15,000 cusecs on Thursday night.
The release began with 2,000 cusecs on Thursday morning. The live water stock has been brought down to 70.5% of the dam's capacity.
On Friday, the southwest monsoon further advanced into the remaining parts of Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, parts of west Uttar Pradesh, most parts of Uttarakhand, many parts of Himachal Pradesh, and some parts of Ladakh, IMD officials said.
A senior IMD official said, "Light to moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at most places in the districts of Konkan-Goa, at a few places over south Madhya Maharashtra and at isolated places over north Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Saturday."
A number of weather systems are escalating the probability of rainfall, IMD said. They include a low-pressure area over south Bihar, an upper air cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan, and a trough running from northwest Uttar Pradesh to the north Gujarat region across the above cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan.
IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into central and adjoining north, south Arabian Sea, northeast Arabian Sea along and off Gujarat-Maharashtra coast between June 20 and 24; along and off north Konkan coast on June 23.
PMC clears choked drains
Officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) drainage and road departments said that teams were busy clearing choked drains and accumulated water from various spots on Friday.
People, however, said that the civic administration now faces the challenge of repairing potholes and resurfacing roads. Santosh Kadu, who often takes Apte Road, said that two drainage chambers were overflowing on Wednesday.
"Though water has stopped flowing out from the chambers the condition of the road has worsened," Kadu said.
PMC's water supply department has decided not to draw water from a well located at Barangani Mala in the Sinhagad Road area for the next couple of days as a precautionary measure following heavy spells of rain. A nullah in the area started overflowing on Wednesday. Additional water tankers are being pressed into service to cater to Dhayri, Sinhagad Road and Nanded. The civic administration plans to take up a cleaning drive in the well and nearby areas after which water lifting will begin again, officials said.
