40 gardens in Panvel not being adequately watered

Trees and plants in nearly 40-odd gardens in the jurisdiction of Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) are gradually wilting after CIDCO, which handed over the administrative reins to the newly formed PMC in October 2022, disconnected the water connections, forcing the PMC to water the plants

NAVI MUMBAI: Trees and plants in nearly 40-odd gardens in the jurisdiction of Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) are gradually wilting after CIDCO, which handed over the administrative reins to the newly formed PMC in October 2022, disconnected the water connections after the handover, forcing the PMC to water the plants using water tankers.

Panvel garden withers due to lack of water at Sector 2 Khanda Colony in Navi Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO)

“Following the transfer of plots by CIDCO, the water connection to many of these gardens was disconnected. As soon as this came to our notice, we have sent multiple letters to CIDCO to restore the connections and levy the applicable charges. But there has been no response and neither were the connections restored. Since then, we are trying to maintain these gardens by watering them with the help of tankers,” said Kailash Gawade, the deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) of PMC.

Nearly seven months after the plots were transferred, the PMC has been watering the garden plots with the help of tankers. A total of 55 plots comprising already built gardens and few yet to be developed areas were transferred under the administrative hand over process. “It is an arduous process to arrange water for the gardens using tankers, but for the past many months, we are doing the best we can. Water from bore wells as well as by laying temporary pipelines for supplying water from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) is also being done,” informed an official from the corporation. CIDCO has also been asked by PMC to transfer the STPs so that alternate arrangements for watering plants can be worked out.

CIDCO officials justified its course of action as the need of the hour. They said the acute shortage of water faced by residents of the area during the past few months prompted them to disconnect the water supply to gardens. “Immediately after the transfer of the plots, the issues of residents not getting adequate water began. As a planning authority, our primary responsibility is to the residents. Therefore, wherever the supply could be restricted, stringent measures were implemented. PMC was duly informed that once the water supply situation becomes manageable, the water supply to gardens will also be restored,” said a senior official from CIDCO.