Thane Municipal Corporation served legal notice for water crisis of Ghodbunder Road residents

Thane Municipal Corporation has been served a legal notice by two of the residents of Ghodbunder Road in view of the existing water woes in this area; residents claim that the corporation has failed to keep its promises to the Bombay High Court

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has been served a legal notice by two of the residents of Ghodbunder Road in view of the existing water woes in this area. The residents claimed that the corporation has failed to keep its promises to the Bombay High Court.

A resident of Ghodbunder Road in Thane does her best to save water in view of the water woes that the residents face. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

The notice claimed that the civic body had assured the HC in 2017 that it would form a committee to look into the water issues of Ghodbunder residents, following which the court had permitted new constructions on this road that were stopped for over a year due to water woes.

The notice issued by Madhu Narayananunni, resident of Kavesar, and Dattatray Ghadage, resident of Manorama Nagar, claims that neither any such committee was formed till date nor was a single meeting held to resolve the water issue. They have asked the TMC to form a committee in the next seven days and conduct a meeting or else they would approach the High Court pointing out this as a contempt of court.

The notice states, “The court, while disposing of the petition, had asked the civic body to form a committee with concerned officials to discuss the water woes and create public awareness of such a committee. The TMC has formed no such committee and it has also failed to supply adequate water to this suburb. Issuing Commencement Certificate to new constructions will affect the right of the existing tax paying citizen to adequate water.”

Despite paying taxes to the corporation, most societies along the tail end of Ghodbunder Road end up paying lakhs of rupees for water tankers.

An officer from the water department claimed, “We have not yet received the letter. However, we provide 100MLD of water to the Ghodbunder area, which is sufficient to meet the water requirement of this area.

Following the acute water crisis faced by the city in the summer of 2016, Thane resident Mangesh Shellar had filed a PIL in the High Court blaming the water cuts on poor planning by the TMC and the haphazard way in which the civic body granted permission for new constructions along the Ghodbunder Road. Following this PIL, the court had stalled permissions for any new constructions along Ghodbunder Road in 2016. The court has also asked the corporation to file an affidavit stating the water connections and Occupation Certificates given in the last five years. In the affidavit, the corporation stated that the TMC has done water management to meet the population requirement till 2025. The court disposed of the petition in 2017, resuming construction work in the area. However, the disposal was based on certain condition for the civic body to follow.