The associations had filed the PIL on April 20, alleging that the Ulhasnagar municipal corporation and the Maharashtra Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) have created an artificial water scarcity in those areas.
Acting on a petition filed by resident associations, the Bombay High Court on Saturday asked the civic body of Ulhasnagar and MJP, Ambernath to provide water tankers to the residents immediately. The residents had alleged that the civic officials have created water scarcity in their areas, which is benefiting the water mafia.
On May 6, the Bombay HC came to the rescue of Ulhasnagar and Ambernath residents while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Nagarik Seva Mandal and the Ambernath residents forum. The bench o justices V M Kanade and M S Karnik ordered that "water tankers should be provided from tomorrow (Sunday) morning."
The associations had filed the PIL on April 20, alleging that the Ulhasnagar municipal corporation and the Maharashtra Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) have created an artificial water scarcity in those areas.
"The current water crisis in Ulhasnagar and Ambernath is not because of water shortage, as we learnt that the MIDC was providing water to the civic bodies. But the civic authorities are not supplying that water to the residents," alleged Satyajeet Burman, president of the Ambernath citizens forum. "This is to benefit the water tanker mafia, which charges anywhere between Rs3,000 and Rs3,500 per tanker," he added.
While the water shortage situation is still manageable in most parts of Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan, it is the worst in Ulhasnagar and Ambernath. There are areas in Ulhasnagar where residents have not received water for 70 days to four months. "In Ambernath, there are 22 villages that do not have water pipe line even after 68 years of independence. Though the AMC provides water to these areas through tankers, it takes seven days after booking for the tankers to reach people," he alleged.
The resident associations also wanted an inquiry to be conducted into the pending amount to be paid by UMC to MIDC, which supplies water to UMC and the latter has to pay Rs394 crore to the former. "While we pay our water bills, religiously, why the civic body has not paid the bill to MIDC yet?' he asked.
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