Avinash Surve, superintending engineer of the Pune irrigation division, municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade and other officials held a joint meeting on Monday to discuss the water crisis following a delay in the monsoon rain. "The existing levels in dams would be able to meet the city's water requirement for the next fortnight only. In view of the scanty rainfall in catchment areas, we are taking precautionary measures by increasing the water cut to 30 per cent," he said.

Speaking to reporters, Zagade said, "We are facing an unprecedented situation. As of now, we will continue with the existing time-table of water distribution. After two days, we will hold another meeting with the irrigation department officials and decide on the new water distribution time-table".

Following the announcement of the 20 per cent water cut, the PMC had prepared a water-cut schedule. As per that schedule, some areas get water either in the morning or in the evening, while some areas get it on alternate days. Asked if the entire city will receive water on alternate days after July 1, Zagade said that any decision about further cuts in the water distribution will be taken after two days.

The water levels on Monday depleted further to 0.68 TMC (2.44 per cent) of the collective storage at the four dams -- Temghar, Varasgaon, Panshet and Khadakwasla -- that supply drinking water to Pune.

Surve said, "This is for the first time in 40 years that the four dams have witnessed such a low water storage in the month of June. The dams have witnessed on an average 59 mm rainfall since June 1 as compared to last year's average rainfall of 259 mm."

Surve said that no water cut has been imposed in Pimpri and Chinchwad at the moment as the Pavana dam has around 26 per cent live storage. However, the water cut will be imposed for Daund, Indapur and Saswad areas of Pune district, he added.