Pune: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar remarked about the ‘tanker mafia’ of Nagar road area being unhappy about the Bhama Askhed dam water supply project completion.
“They must be unhappy with this project. But the common citizens of Kharadi and Chandannagar demanded nothing else but regular supply of drinking water to them,” Pawar said during the launch and dedicating the Bhama Askhed project to citizens.
Ajit Pawar’s remark was directed towards a prominent political leader who was associated with the Nationalist Congress Party earlier but later left the party. As a result several political leaders and party workers were engaged in gossip about Pawar’s indirect attack on the ex-colleague from his party.
Before the Bhama Askhed water supply project was completed – which itself took nearly seven years to complete – most of the eastern parts of Pune city like Kondhwa, Wanawadi, Kharadi, Wagholi, Hadapsar, Chandan Nagar were suffering from shortage and irregular supply of drinking water.
As a result, the water tanker suppliers had a free and unhindered run in these areas. They charged exorbitantly to residential societies and it was estimated that the annual business of this ‘tanker mafia’ was above Rs 100 crore.