The tribals of Yeoor forest in Thane are facing significant concerns as they have been deprived of water for the past eight days. A water tanker finally arrived on Monday, marking an eight-day gap since the previous supply. This irregularity in water supply has prompted the residents to voice their grievances, highlighting that unauthorised bungalows and hotels seem to receive an ample water supply, while the residents of Yeoor are left with no water.
The tribals from Yeoor, in conversation with the FPJ, have expressed their concerns regarding the unfair distribution of water resources. They have pointed out that not only do the unauthorised hotels and bungalows receive regular water supplies, but their gardens and streets are also sprinkled with water, while residents suffer to get water to drink.
Prashant Narvekar
Due to the rapid urbanisation experienced in recent years, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is currently providing an average of over 400 million liters of water daily within its jurisdiction. However, this water supply has proven to be insufficient when compared to the growing population in the city.
Radhika Salkar, a villager from Yeoor, expressed her distress by stating, "We have been without water for the past 8 days. Every day, we have to walk 2 kilometers in the scorching heat just to fetch water from someone else's well. No one in our household has been able to take a proper bath for the last five days, and inviting guests is out of the question due to the water scarcity. It's the wedding season, and we are facing immense hardships. We sincerely request the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to provide us with at least 6 hours of water supply per day, so that we can manage our basic needs."
Prashant Narvekar
Sunil Sulkar, another resident of Yeoor, expressed his frustration, saying, "As locals, it's disheartening that we have to rely on others for water. We are forced to go to hotels, dhabas, or bungalows, pleading for drinking water. Our request to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is simple: they should ensure a daily water supply and send a water tanker regularly to our area."
Prashant Narvekar
Vinod Pawar, the executive engineer of the water supply department at TMC, explained, "Water scarcity has been a challenge in several areas. In light of this, the civic body made a request to the state government for increased water supply. As a result, the state government has provided additional water to Thane city from the Bhatsa Dam. Additionally, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also sanctioned extra water for the city. Consequently, the city now receives a total of 585 million liters of water per day."
Pawar further elaborated, stating, "The water scarcity issue has been exacerbated in several areas due to low water pressure in the supply for a few days. It has also come to our attention that the problem of water scarcity is affecting the tribal padas situated in the hilly areas of Yeoor. The Yeoor area encompasses numerous tribal padas, including Patnopada, Patilpada, Jambhulpada, Dharmachapada, Devachapada, and Vanichapada, all of which are facing water scarcity challenges. Although there was a temporary shutdown on Friday and Saturday, resulting in low water pressure on Sunday and Monday, we assure you that water supply will be regular from Tuesday onwards. We have already deployed our engineer to the Yeoor forest area to assess and address the issues faced by the villagers."
