Cities want more water from Barvi dam to tide over crisis

In a meeting on Friday, it was decided that water will be distributed proportional to the population of each of the cities

With the increase in the capacity of Barvi dam, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) along with other municipal corporations and councils in the district wants more water supply for the cities.

The water from Barvi dam is supplied to Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Mira- Bhayander, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai. (HT FILE)

The water from Barvi dam is supplied to Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Mira- Bhayander, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai.

In a meeting on Friday, it was decided that water will be distributed proportional to the population of each of the cities.

The water capacity of Barvi was 178mcm till 2016.

The irrigation department increased the dam’s height in 2016 and increased the capacity to 234mcm.

It also has plans to increase the capacity to 340 mcm, when the rehabilitation issue of the people near the dam is resolved.

Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner of TMC, said, “The population of the district has increased and so has its water requirement. The state has increased the capacity of Baravi dam. It was decided that the increased water stock should be given to all municipal corporations and councils depending on their population.”

Last year, the irrigation department had agreed to increase water supply if the corporation provided jobs to those displaced in the project.

Malvi added, “A policy on how the distribution will be done was also discussed in the meeting. It was collectively decided that the corporations or councils will provide jobs to the displaced proportional to the amount of additional supply they get from the dam. It was also decided that the councils and corporation will share 10 per cent construction cost of Shai and Kalu dams which is also proposed in the district to increase water capacity.”

Ashok Rankhamb, commissioner of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, said, “We get 155 mld of water supply from Barvi dam. We had demanded 50 mld after its capacity increases. It was decided that water be distributed equally among urban areas of the district. We will get 25mld water.”

Contaminated water

Following several complaints of contaminated water supply to various areas of Wagale Estate, Thane Municipal Corporation’s water department has said the water supply line will be completely changed and the area will get treated water by next week.

For more than 30 years, areas of Wagale Estate and Hajuri were supplied raw water from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s water supply scheme. Thane recives 485 mld of water supply out of which 455 mld is treated water. However, the city also receives 30 mld of raw water which is supplied to several areas of Wagale Estate.

An official from water supply department said, “We have got permission to shift water connection from raw water to treated water in Kisannagar 1 and 2 areas. We are shifting the pipelines to