Over 300 illegal water connections in mayor’s ward

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav found more than 300 illegal water connections in her Antop Hill ward, on Saturday, informed the Mayor’s office.

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav found more than 300 illegal water connections in her Antop Hill ward, on Saturday, informed the Mayor’s office.

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She found these illegal connections while visiting slums which complained of severe water shortage. She learnt that such connections were given to the slum dwellers by the local water mafia.

Jadhav directed the water department officials to disconnect all illegal connections and seize illegal booster pumps.

“In a few slums, a pipeline, which is legal, has been connected to other 7-8 illegal pipelines. This will not be tolerated in a city which is in crisis,” added Jadhav.

She told the head of the water department to take stringent action against water mafias with the help of the local police as well as to stop water in public toilets if the operators didn’t dig the borewell within 15 days. Water connection in the slums is given on the basis of a photo-pass or a ration card.

“We will not deny water connection if minimum of five households and a maximum of 15 households approach to the department. We have to give them connection on humanitarian ground if they are post 1995, the cut off date,” said an official working in the ward level.

“Since November 30, the municipal body, with the help of police, have booked 104 people in water theft cases and 742 illegal connections cases,” he added.