Navi Mumbai: NMMC serves 4,000 notice for illegal water connection

In a bid to check wastage of water, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has not only stepped up its vigil, but the corporation has gone one step ahead and formed a team of officials to keep tabs on such elements.
Though the in-charge of the water department, Arvind Shinde, could not be reached for confirmation, another official informed that the civic body has already embarked upon massive awareness drive and is appealing Navi Mumbaikars to use water judiciously, especially against the backdrop of failed monsoon this year. 

Recently, mayor Sudhakar Sonwane had also visited Morbe dam to take stock of the water situation. This is the first time that the NMMC jurisdiction is facing water crisis. The civic body had already warned housing societies in the satellite city of action if the consumption was found to be beyond permissible limits. dna of navi mumbai had published this story in its September 12 edition. "Officials from the water department are keeping a close watch on those wasting water. We have also cracked down on unauthorised connections and nearly 4,000 notices have been served in this regard. Anyone found wasting water will be dealt with strictly," said the official, adding, "Efforts are also being made to plug leakages in water distribution system of the civic body."

Besides, the NMMC has also embarked on an aggressive awareness drive across the satellite city and erected hoardings and banners in every nook and corner to sensitise residents about judicious use of water. "Water consumption in Navi Mumbai is 236 million litres daily (MLD) per person per day, which is way beyond consumption in other civic body areas. Some of the housing societies have responded positively to our appeal and use of water has been curtailed," said the official. 

Though rains during the last weekend helped up the level of water in NMMC-owned Morbe dam, the level of water stands at 79 metre which is way below the full capacity mark of 88 metre. The civic body has made it clear that though there are no plans of immediate water cuts, the possibility cannot be ruled out in future. Morbe dam is the main source of water for the satellite city from where it gets 421 million litres of water everyday. Earlier, NMMC chief Dinesh Waghmare had said that the administration will come out with an action plan to curb leakages and also undertake water audit of the distribution system. dna of navi mumbai had published this story in its August 23 edition. Already the adjoining Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has imposed water cut and the Pune Municipal Corporation too has followed the same. Navi Mumbai gets water supply from Morbe dam, Hetawane dam and MIDC. The major source of supply for Navi Mumbai is Morbe dam, while Hetawane supplies 2MLD and MIDC supplies 55MLD to the city.

Plugging leakages
* The issue of high water leakages in Navi Mumbai snowballed into a major controversy last month when during one of the general body meetings the issue was taken up for discussion
* Congress corporator Mandakini Mhatre had moved a calling attention motion seeking discussions on water issue and why Morbe dam water was not reaching areas such as Ghansoli and Digha
* Not only the opposition, but even the ruling party members expressed the need to have an action plan for judicious use of water
* Civic chief Dinesh Waghmare had then said that the administration would come out with an action plan to curb such leakages and also undertake water audit to plug leakages in the distribution system
* "The civic body will be preparing action plan to check water wastage in the satellite city. The percentage of water leakage is 19 per cent, which is within the norms set by the state government yet over efforts will be to bring down this wastage. Also, the recovery from water distribution is 97 per cent," Waghmare had said then
* He had added, "Steps will be taken to make the Scada system more effective."