If the sweltering October heat was not agonising enough, residents of Mira Bhayandar are not spared the nuisance of water cuts even during the winter.
Even as pipes run dry and several parts of the twin-city continue to face an acute shortage of water supply, ample water continues to flow on paper.
Apart from official delegations from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), social media platforms are flooded with photos of local leaders affiliated to various parties meeting their political masters, followed by press notes and announcements that twin-city is the recipient of 135 million litres each day (MLD ) additional water supply from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
However, at the ground level, there is no respite for citizens as supply continues to be limited once in 60 to 65 hours.
In response to directions related to augmentation of water supply given by industries minister-Subhash Desai, in a recently held all-party meeting, MIDC officials treaded cautiously and refrained from making any such commitments.
The officials contended that augmentation was not possible unless a few technical obstacles were cleared. This clearly indicates that an immediate remedy to the current crisis is still a distant dream.
The other carrot which is being dangled in front of citizens is the diversion of 20 MLD water from Navi Mumbai’s quota to the twin-city, which is another proposal which has already remained pending for more than six years.
The Congress unit is already at loggerheads with the BJP misguiding the local populace by falsely propagating augmentation of 25 MLD water supply and allotting thousands of new water lines on the eve of assembly polls last year.
As against the requirement of over 225 MLD, the twin-city has a total supply of 196 MLD provided jointly by the MIDC and STEM water supply authority. However the actual supply hovers below 180 MLD.
With no self-sustained resources of water supply like other civic bodies, the twin-city also faces a demographic dilemma as it falls in the tail-end of the district, which further aggravates the water woes owing to low pressure.
MBMC Plays Blind to Theft and Leakages.
As the fate of water augmentation hangs in balance, the twin-city is still losing a huge quantum of potable water in transit on a daily basis owing to leakages, unaccounted supply and theft.
As per information sourced out from the water supply, the in-transit losses are to the order of 20 percent which works out to a whopping 38 MLD from the total supply of 196 MLD throughout the year.
