BJP Slams Thane Municipal Corporation Over Water Crisis, Demands White Paper On ₹1,819 Crore Funds

Thane: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a sharp offensive against the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) regarding the city's worsening water scarcity, demanding absolute transparency over central funds.

BJP MLA and MLC have demanded that the civic body issue a comprehensive "White Paper" detailing the expenditure of ₹1,819 crore allocated under the Central Government’s Amrut-1 and Amrut-2 schemes.

Key Demands and Assembly Warnings

During a press conference held at the party’s Khopat office, BJP MLAs Sanjay Kelkar and Niranjan Davkhare, alongside legislator Madhavi Naik, issued a stern warning to the municipal administration. The leadership confirmed that the Thane water crisis will be raised aggressively in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the State Assembly.

The BJP Leaders highlighted a severe lack of clarity regarding how the ₹1,819 crore central grant was utilized, noting that the administration has been given a strict 10-day ultimatum to present a detailed account of the funds.

Structural Concerns and the "Tanker Mafia"

The BJP leaders voiced serious concerns over Thane's lopsided urban development:

Unplanned Urbanization: MLA Sanjay Kelkar criticized the TMC for continuously approving high-rise residential projects without establishing a concrete water supply blueprint.

Financial Burden on Citizens: Due to inadequate municipal supply, several major housing complexes are forced to rely heavily on private water tankers, incurring an additional financial burden of up to ₹1.5 crore annually per society. Kelkar demanded an immediate freeze on new construction approvals unless a guaranteed water supply can be verified.

The Rise of Tanker Mafia: Legislator Madhavi Naik accused the municipal administration of enabling a rampant "tanker mafia" in the city due to its operational inefficiencies. She demanded that all water supply metrics and data be institutionalized transparently on the TMC's official website.

Administrative Inefficiencies

MLC Niranjan Davkhare pointed out that the TMC lacks systematic water metering, effective distribution management, and a transparent operational system. Furthermore, the specialized committee previously constituted to resolve Thane's water woes has reportedly remained entirely non-functional.

In a concluding note on administrative delays, Kelkar revealed that a formal request was sent to Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde back in March to convene an emergency meeting regarding the water crisis; however, a slot for the meeting has yet to be granted.

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