The dry conditions have also heightened fire risks
Pune: A prolonged dry spell with just 1.4mm of rainfall recorded between Oct 1 and 15, the lowest for the period in at least 12 years, has begun to take a toll, leading to water cuts, a surge in tanker demand and an unusually early forest fire that damaged nearly 200 trees. Water tanker service operator Sushant Lonkar said demand had surged significantly, with daily orders rising from the usual eight to nine tankers to 14-16. The city recorded 14 rainy days in Oct 2019, 12 each in 2020 and 2022, and four even in relatively dry years like 2018 and 2024. In contrast, the first half of Oct 2026 saw just 1.4mm of rainfall.
Besides housing societies seeking backup supplies, demand from plantation groups has also increased due to the rainfall deficit.
“The entire forest has turned yellow and there was virtually no soil moisture after a dry monsoon and no Oct rainfall,” he said. “Plantation groups have started watering vegetation two weeks earlier than usual as grasslands dried rapidly and even mature plantations required supplemental irrigation,” he said. Pune typically receives rain on multiple days during Oct, according to IMD data.
Pashan resident and tekdi volunteer Pushkar Kulkarni attributed the situation to a dry second half of the monsoon followed by an exceptionally dry Oct.