The tanker lobby that operated in Mira Road, Bhayander and Vasai till a few years ago has now spread its tentacles to the western suburbs.
The tanker lobby that operated in Mira Road, Bhayander and Vasai till a few years ago has now spread its tentacles to the western suburbs. Taking advantage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) water crisis, tanker owners are doing brisk business.
According to civic officials, the borewell output is 5,000 litres per day, but each tanker in Bandra supplies 10,000 litres of water each day.
On Bandra’s Pali Mala Road alone, there are 15 tanker operators supplying borewell water and charging Rs1,500 per housing society each day.
More than 60 residents of Pali Mala Road and Perry Cross Road in Bandra (West) signed a petition on Tuesday, demanding that the BMC investigate the source of the water tapped by tanker operators in their area.
“Where is all that water coming from? How is the tanker lobby fulfilling the BMC’s shortfall? How can one borewell supply 15 to 20 tankers every day?” asked Anil Joseph, a resident of Perry Cross Road.
On Shirley Rajan Road near Carter Road, residents allege that the water supply in their area is regulated by the tanker lobby. “We were given to understand that valves can regulate water supply. They (tanker owners) lower pressure in each area to ensure constant business,” said Valeri Fernandes.
“We suspect that the BMC is in cahoots with tanker operators. We want to know if the water they are supplying is borewell water or municipal water,” said Anandini Thakoor, Khar resident.
Officials from the civic body’s hydraulic department say the monitoring of tankers does not come under their jurisdiction. “They need permission from the medical health officer. We deal with surface water and pipe water, not borewell water,” a senior BMC official said.
A proposal will be put before the BMC’s Standing Committee to allow each corporator to dig two borewells in their area.
“Even two borewells per corporator won’t suffice, as the yield is low. There is also no guarantee that borewell water is clean and potable, as there is a likelihood of contamination,” he said.
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