It seems that Punekars are in a catch 22 situation.

On the one hand, they need climate to be hot and dry to cut short the spread of swine flu virus and on the another hand, they also need rain to fill their unfilled water reservoirs.

The city will once again have to deal with water shortage with insufficient rainfall leaving reservoir storage levels unsatisfactory.

Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar has announced a 30% water cut for Pune and 20% cut for Pimpri-Chinchwad Sunday onwards.

Speaking on this, Pawar said, "Last year by August 15, four dams that supply drinking water to Pune were filled up completely. As there is no sufficient rainfall this year, water storage is only 70 per cent of dams' capacity."

The same hold true for Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The dams of Pimpri-Chinchwad, which supply water to this region, were filled only up to 80%.

The minister said that water cuts are inevitable as the dams supplying water to Pune have stock to last only for 6-months and the Pavana dam supplying water to Pimpri- Chinchwad has stocks, which will last only five months.

He grieved that people realize the value of water only when they face a drought situation.

"Hence I suggested them to impose 30 per cent water cuts in Pune and 20 per cent water cut in Pimpri Chinchwad till the situation improves," said the minister.