Mumbai News: City BJP opposes water tariff hike; seeks supply from reserved quota in other reservoirs

Mumbai: The Mumbai BJP has voiced its opposition to the proposed water tariff hike put forth by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The proposal, currently awaiting final approval from the Municipal Commissioner's office, suggests an increase ranging from Rs 0.25 to Rs 4 per liter. While the administration considers it a routine revision, the city BJP firmly opposes the hike. BJP Chief Adv. Ashish Shelar stated that the contradictory approach of providing property tax relief while raising water tariffs is unacceptable to the public. The party has urged the municipal commissioner to reconsider the proposal.

"We are completely against the proposed tariff hike," city BJP Chief Adv Ashish Shelar said, adding that the juglary of giving relief in property tax on one hand and raising water tariff on the other won't be tolerated by the people.

"We have requested the municipal commissioner not to go ahead with the proposal," Adv. Shelar said.

In contrast, the Mumbai BJP has commended the state government's decision to release additional water from its reserved quota for the city. As of June 4, 2023, the water level in the seven reservoirs supplying the city stands at a mere 11.76 percent, indicating a potential scarcity. To address this concern, the city BJP proposed that water be released from the Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa reservoirs.

Responding positively, the state government agreed to allocate water from its additional quota in the Upper Vaitarna reservoir. Adv. Ashish Shelar expressed gratitude towards Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for their decision.

Water Supply Details and BJP's Demand

Currently, Mumbai receives 3,850 million liters per day (MLD) of water from various reservoirs, including Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Vihar, and Tulsi. The city's total annual water demand is 14,47,636 MLD, while the available water in all reservoirs on June 4, 2023, amounts to 1,74,093 MLD. To address the potential scarcity, the city BJP demanded an allocation of 75 MLD from the reserved quota.

Gratitude Expressed by Adv. Shelar

Adv. Ashish Shelar met with Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal on Monday to discuss the matter. During the meeting, he was informed about the state government's agreement to release water from its reserved quota. Adv. Shelar shared this development with the media, expressing his gratitude to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for their support.