Book TMC officials for water theft or be ready for a stir: NCP (SP)

Manoj Pradhan, district president, NCP (SP), warned that if criminal cases are not registered against the corrupt officials and others involved in the alleged water theft within a week, party workers would remove all illegal taps installed along the pipeline

Thane: The NCP (SP) on Tuesday alleged that nearly 60 million litres per day (MLD) water was being stolen from the Bhatsa river pipeline in connivance with officials from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

Several illegal connections emerging from the Bhatsa pipeline were found in Sonale, Choudharpada, Bapgaon, Muthaval, Savad, Amnepada, Kirwali, Pise, and Devrung villages (Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo)

Manoj Pradhan, district president, NCP (SP), warned that if criminal cases are not registered against the corrupt officials and others involved in the alleged water theft within a week, party workers would remove all illegal taps installed along the pipeline.

The TMC draws 280–310 MLD water from the Pise reservoir on a daily basis, but only 250 MLD reaches residents, Pradhan said while addressing a press conference. The alleged theft of 60 MLD had been continuing unchecked for the last nine years, amounting to an estimated 194,400 million litres of stolen water, he noted.

NCP (SP) insiders said the party had formed a committee to probe increasing complaints of water scarcity and frequent supply cuts in Thane. The team came across several illegal connections emerging from the Bhatsa pipeline in Sonale, Choudharpada, Bapgaon, Muthaval, Savad, Amnepada, Kirwali, Pise, and Devrung villages, they said.

At Devrung Nala, a sanctioned half-inch line was found to have been converted to a four-inch connection, while in Muthaval, two private companies were found using six-inch illegal lines. Many taps were also reportedly connected via tampered air valves.

“There is a direct involvement of the executive engineer and city engineer (projects) of the TMC in this corruption.The absence of a metering system between Pise and Temghar was deliberate, intended to conceal the theft,” Pradhan told reporters.

Stopping the theft of 60 MLD water could resolve water scarcity in at least one major division of Thane, he added.

Responding to the allegations, Vinod Pawar, deputy municipal commissioner (water), TMC, told HT: “I am not aware of any such allegations or complaints. If there are any illegal activities related to water supply, we will verify them.”