Pune caught between swine flu and water shortage

Punekars want the climate to be warm and dry to halt the swine flu virus on its tracks, but also need rain to fill their unfilled water reservoirs

Punekars are caught between the devil and deep sea. They need the skies to be sunny and dry, even warm, if the H1N1 virus is to be halted in its tracks, but they also need rain desperately because the reservoirs in the city are still a long way from being filled.u00a0u00a0

Heat kills
According to Dr Avinash Bhondve, former president, Indian Medical Association, said, "When temperatures rise above 30 degrees, even seasonal flus do not stay for long, as the germs can't survive in the heat. Humidity favours the viruses, including the H1N1 strain, while a humid climate is favourable for the germs."

However, on Saturday District Collector Chandrakant Dalvi said, "We are imposing a 20 per cent cut on water supply as there is a shortage of rainfall." Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations decided on Monday to impose a 20 to 30 per cent water cut in view of the poor rainfall this year, following orders of Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also guardian minister of Pune.

Last year
Last year, by August 15, four dams that supply drinking water to the city had filled to capacity. But this year, theyu00a0 have filled to only 70 per cent. Similarly, Pimpri-Chinchwad dams have filled only up to 80 per cent.