BMC mulls 10% water cut as dry spell continues

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering imposing 10% water cuts in city by the end of this week as the dry spell continues and the civic body has begun using reserve water from the Upper Vaitarana dam.
Hindustan Times had reported the possibility of water cuts considering the decreasing water levels of lakes which supply water to the city. The water department of the civic body on Tuesday sent the proposal of 10% water cuts to municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte for his approval.
“We are still working on all the available options. But there are no rains and we have begun taking water from the reserve quota of the dams,” said mayor Sunil Prabhu, adding that the final decision will be taken within a day or two.

“We are in the process of discussions. An official announcement will be made soon,” said Kunte, after publishing a book on water conservation, at an event at the BMC headquarters.
Every day city receives the water supply of around 3430 million litres, which means that the available water stock will last for next 20 days only.

Swabhiman Sanghatana chief Nitesh Rane, who had led the agitation against the tanker mafias in city, criticised the BMC for not taking action against the water mafia. “Out of the total water received by city, at least 24% goes to these mafias. If BMC could take action against them they could save 24% water per day,” he said, adding his organisation would stage agitations if a water cut is imposed.