Mumbai Water Tanker Strike: Housing Societies, Shopping Malls, Offices Hit Due To Water Shortage

Mumbai: Indefinite strike by the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) has hit several housing societies, offices and  shopping malls in the metropolis. Few offices in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) have asked their employees to work from home on Friday.

On second day of the strike on Friday, several housing already facing water shortage and dependent on the water tankers, were hit by water shortage. Housing societies in Andheri, Sion, and Sewree faced significant water shortages with residents flaying the BMC for imposing these conditions as city was reeling under intense heat wave.

The association went on strike on Thursday to protest Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) notices making some things mandatory in addition to a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).

Other CGWA conditions include issuing licence only if the well is situated on 200 sq m land, digital water flow meter, proof of ownership or lease of the well, adherence of BIS standard, accurate measurement of daily intake.

The BMC has augmented water supply through tankers but societies depending on tanker supply were left high and dry.

MWTA Statement On Water Tanker Strike

An official stated that the MWTA suspended the water supply in the city indefinitely to protest the civic body's notices to private well owners that supply water to the tankers. The association has approximately 1,800 registered tankers, which have a capacity ranging from 500 to 20,000 litres.

They supply a significant volume of water to different parts of the city, including upscale areas of South Mumbai, as mentioned by MWTA spokesperson Ankur Sharma in a statement to PTI.