Once-a-week water cut plan put on hold

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s group leaders — heads of the various parties in the civic body — on Monday said they will consider the administration’s proposal to impose 100 per cent water cuts once in a week.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s group leaders — heads of the various parties in the civic body — on Monday said they will consider the administration’s proposal to impose 100 per cent water cuts once in a week.

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They added that no decision had been taken yet.

The corporators said the civic body should have the citizens’ consensus before taking such a decision.

The civic body proposed to divide the city into seven zones (two in the island city, 2 western suburbs and 3 in eastern suburbs) and impose a 100 per cent water cut for a day in each zone in a cyclic pattern. (see box). The civic body wants to implement this water cut from December itself.

Senior Congress corporator Sameer Desai said, “It is a trial-and-error plan by the administration. How can you experiment with the citizens?”

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav said that there has to be a dialogue with Mumbaiites and a consensus must be reached before such plans can be implemented and that the civic administration should also strictly check leakages and water theft. A 15 per cent water cut is currently imposed in the city. Total stocks in six lakes that supply to the city are at 7.46 lakh million, against 9.78 lakh million litres last year.

Additional Municipal Commissioner, Anil Diggikar said: “We will select a few areas on pilot basis and then conduct these experiments there so that we have an idea how it works.” The areas, selected by the municipal commissioner, will be disclosed on Thursday.

“The commissioner should talk to the citizens through the media and try to explain the plans and how they (people) will be affected because of this experiment,” said Sena leader Sunil Prabhu.