BJP slams government for restoring ''excess'' water supply to Baramati

NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Twitter Sharad Pawar

The BJP on Thursday criticised the Maharashtra government's decision to restore the supply of water from the left bank canal of Nira Deoghar dam to NCP chief Sharad Pawar's home turf Baramati, saying the water meant for farmers "will now be in Pawar's farm".

In June last year, the Fadnavis government cleared a proposal to cut off the supply of "unused" water from the Nira Deoghar dam to parts of Baramati, Indapur, and Purandar in Pune district, arguing that these areas were located outside the notified command area of the dam.

Baramati is the family stronghold of Sharad Pawar, whose daughter Supriya Sule is a Lok Sabha member from there. His nephew and state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar represents the Baramati Assembly seat. Hitting out at the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government over reversing the previous regime's decision, the BJP on its Twitter handle @BJP4Maharashtra said, "Water meant for common farmers will now be in Pawar's farm. The government is now helping Supriya to reap Rs 113 crore from her brinjal farming on a 10-acre land."

The state Cabinet under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday decided to equally distribute water from the left and the right bank canals of the Nira Deoghar dam to the command areas, according to an official release. As per the decision, 55 percent of water will be released in the left bank canal which will benefit Purander, Baramati and Indapur talukas while the right bank canal will get 45 percent water which will be utilised for Pandharpur, Sangola, Khandala, Phaltan and Malshiras talukas.

The water will be made available for the purpose of drinking, industrial use, and agriculture.

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