Indian Express 03.12.2009
Supply ills: civic move to redraw water zones
To solve the water crisis in the peripheral areas of the city (areas that get water from near the end of a main pipeline) the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation wants to redraw water zones. The city is at present divided into 110 water zones that get water from the civic body at different times of the day.
The BMC is in the process of re-zoning these areas into 6-7 major zones. “The water supply network in the city is very complex and re-zoning is a challenge. The work is under way and is likely to be completed soon. Once zoning is done we will consider supplying water to different zones at different times,” said hydraulic engineer Dinesh Gondaliya.
Officials said that the re-drawing of water zones will involve re-sequencing of valves along the pipelines whereby certain zones will receive water on a particular day while the remaining will receive water the next day. Additional municipal commissioner and acting municipal commissioner RA Rajeev said that a final decision on this is yet to be taken. “Since the water issue affects all citizens we will take the views of the citizens before implementing re-zoning,” Rajeev said.
Officials claim that the rearrangement of zones will result in equitable distribution of water to all parts of the city including the fag ends.
Jogeshwari corporator Rajul Patel said, “It is a welcome move because certain areas at the fag end do not get any water. By dividing water supply to different parts these areas will benefit.”
Poor rainfall this year in the catchment areas of the six lakes that supply water to the city resulted in acute water scarcity. The BMC has imposed a 15 per cent cut for households and 30 per cent for commercial establishments. BMC officials said the 15 per cent water cut is being implemented by tightening the valves on the water pipelines.
275 illegal connections cut
As many as 31 FIRs have been registered against water theft in the M/East ward. A total of 96 booster pumps, which are used by slumdwellers to draw water from main pipelines, were seized and 275 illegal water connections in slum areas were cut off. Certain fag end areas in the ward had been facing water shortage since long. “Rafiq Nagar in Chembur was facing acute water scarcity earlier. The problems are solved now,” said an offcial from the hydraulic department.
