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By:

Rajendra Pandharpure

15 April 2025 at 7:55:54 pm

Pune’s drought could dry up business

Water rationing threatens to hit the city’s wedding industry, construction sector, retail trade and livelihoods. Pune : Pune is beginning to feel the economic sting of drought. A 10 percent cut in the city’s water supply has already been implemented, and the municipal administration has indicated that the reduction could rise to 20 percent or more over the next two to three months. What appears at first to be a water-management crisis could soon become a wider economic problem, affecting...

Pune’s drought could dry up business

Water rationing threatens to hit the city’s wedding industry, construction sector, retail trade and livelihoods. Pune : Pune is beginning to feel the economic sting of drought. A 10 percent cut in the city’s water supply has already been implemented, and the municipal administration has indicated that the reduction could rise to 20 percent or more over the next two to three months. What appears at first to be a water-management crisis could soon become a wider economic problem, affecting businesses, construction activity, employment and household budgets. The Pune Municipal Corporation has begun shutting off the water supply every Thursday. Swimming pools and vehicle-washing centres have been closed, while the use of water for construction has been prohibited. The state government has directed the civic administration to ensure that the reserves in the Khadakwasla dam chain, which supplies Pune, last until August 2027. The challenge could become more acute in the months ahead. Meteorological experts have forecast a milder winter and significantly higher temperatures this year. If these predictions hold true, increased evaporation could place further pressure on the city's water reserves, potentially necessitating stricter rationing. For residents accustomed to a relatively abundant water supply, cuts of 20 percent or more would demand a substantial adjustment in daily life. Intense Pressure The economic consequences are beginning to emerge. The closure of vehicle-washing centres has deprived young people employed in low-skilled jobs of their livelihoods. Swimming-pool closures have similarly affected security guards and lifeguards. These may appear to be small, isolated losses, but they expose a larger problem: when water-intensive businesses are forced to shut down, the burden falls disproportionately on workers with few financial reserves and limited employment alternatives. The impact could spread to Pune’s lucrative wedding industry. The wedding season traditionally gathers momentum after Tulsi Vivah in the month of Kartik, generating business worth more than Rs. 200-250 crore. Pune has long attracted affluent families from outside the city who prefer its venues and facilities for wedding celebrations, partly because of its historically reliable water supply. Persistent restrictions could undermine that advantage. Wedding venues, caterers, hotels and other service providers depend on a dependable water supply to operate. If rationing becomes more severe, organisers may reconsider their choice of venue, while businesses could face higher operating costs and disruptions. An industry that generates substantial seasonal revenue also supports a network of workers and small enterprises, making the potential economic fallout wider than the immediate loss of bookings. Rural-Urban Connection Pune’s commercial fortunes are also linked to the health of the rural economy. A good agricultural harvest typically improves rural incomes, supporting spending on goods and services in urban markets. When farm earnings weaken, that spending tends to contract, affecting traders, retailers and other businesses. If rural incomes remain subdued, the city’s commercial sector could face an additional headwind at a time when water scarcity is already threatening business activity. The interaction between agricultural distress and urban water shortages could therefore deepen the economic slowdown. Construction presents another major vulnerability. Like many large cities, Pune depends heavily on real estate and infrastructure development to sustain economic activity and employment. Construction projects generate demand across a broad network of industries, from building-material suppliers and transport operators to contractors and daily-wage workers. A prolonged restriction on construction-related water use could delay projects, raise costs and disrupt work schedules. If projects stall, the effects will extend beyond developers to workers, suppliers and businesses that depend on the real estate sector. Rising Inflation For ordinary citizens, the prospect of tighter water rationing comes amid an already difficult cost-of-living situation. Food and restaurant prices have risen sharply. A cup of tea now costs more than Rs. 30, while a serving of idli-sambar can exceed Rs. 90. Even street food, traditionally an affordable option for working people, has become increasingly expensive. These prices illustrate the pressure on household budgets, particularly those of workers whose incomes have not kept pace with rising costs. If water shortages push up operating expenses for restaurants, caterers and other businesses, consumers could face further increases. The extent of any additional price rise will depend on how severe and prolonged the restrictions become. The working class is particularly exposed. Workers in vehicle-washing centres, swimming pools, construction and allied services may lose income precisely when everyday necessities are becoming more expensive. Unlike larger businesses, many such workers have little capacity to absorb a prolonged interruption in earnings. Pune’s immediate challenge is to conserve enough water to carry the city through the coming months. Yet the implications of the drought extend well beyond household taps and civic supply schedules. Trade, real estate, hospitality and seasonal businesses all depend, directly or indirectly, on the availability of water. The two sectors facing particular uncertainty are trade and real estate. The former could suffer from weaker consumer spending and disruptions to commercial activity; the latter could be affected by restrictions on construction and the risk of project delays. The consequences would be felt across employment and the wider urban economy. Pune’s residents and businesses have not had to contend with water cuts of 20 percent or more on a sustained basis. Adapting to such restrictions will be difficult, especially if temperatures rise and the drought persists.

Imported Trouble

Correspondent
Jul 23, 2025
2 min read

For a party that prides itself on discipline, hierarchy and ‘nationalist’ loyalty, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a curious weakness for elevating defectors to positions of high office - only to be left red-faced when these political imports go rogue. The abrupt resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, whose only crime seems to be taking his constitutional role too literally, marks the second such embarrassment in just over a decade. The first was the bombastic Satyapal Malik, another Modi-era appointee who went from gubernatorial respectability to anti-government gadfly.

 

This time, the drama unfolded in the solemn chambers of the Rajya Sabha, where Dhankhar as Chairman stunned his own party by accepting an Opposition-led impeachment motion against sitting High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma before the government could unveil its own, carefully choreographed, ‘bipartisan’ move in the Lok Sabha. By all accounts, the Vice President’s prompt acceptance of the Opposition’s notice not only undercut the BJP’s plans for a consensus-driven process but triggered a frenzied and frankly farcical, signature collection drive among bewildered NDA MPs. Some were reportedly asked to sign on blank sheets, others weren’t told what they were signing. Not exactly the textbook definition of parliamentary dignity.

 

The BJP’s master plan had been simple: control the narrative by being seen as a responsible, reform-minded government acting in lockstep with the Opposition to cleanse the judiciary of corruption. Dhankhar, alas, had other ideas. By entertaining the Opposition’s notice without so much as a courtesy call to the Treasury benches, he forced the government to play catch-up and lose. His announcement in the Rajya Sabha rendered the BJP’s efforts redundant. And since impeachment motions can begin in either House, the race to the starting line became the finish line.

 

The response from the government has been a study in sulky restraint. A brief tweet from the Prime Minister followed by radio silence.

 

This is ironical considering how much political capital the BJP once invested in Dhankhar, a lawyer from Rajasthan with Janata Dal origins. When he was installed as the Governor of West Bengal, Dhankar was celebrated for his daily spats with Mamata Banerjee. For the BJP, he seemed useful - until he wasn’t.

 

Earlier, Satyapal Malik, once lauded for his ‘nationalist’ credentials, turned out to be a ticking time bomb, regularly undermining the BJP’s narrative on Kashmir and farmers. Dhankhar has been more subtle, but no less disruptive. Was it principle, pique, or political calculation that made him side with the Opposition’s initiative? Either way, the damage to the BJP is undeniable.

 

The party has once again discovered that opportunism cuts both ways. While the BJP leadership is famously intolerant of internal dissent, it continues to roll out the red carpet for ambitious outsiders with no ideological grounding in the Sangh Parivar. Then it acts surprised when these newcomers fail to display fealty to the cause. Twice bitten, the BJP should learn not to outsource top posts to ambitious turncoats.

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