Hindustan Times 24.12.2009

After a spate of attacks on civic engineers the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants the state government to declare the city’s water problem a ‘crisis situation’ and give the BMC special powers to handle it.

The Bombay Municipal Corporation Act [section 520 A] says the state government can intervene in the civic administration to control the water crisis.

On Tuesday, members of Swabhimaan Sanghatana — an organisation headed by Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s son, Nitesh — attacked water department engineer, Kumar Tarang.

Thirty civic engineers led by the Municipal Mazdoor Union protested outside the municipal commissioner’s office on Wednesday demanding security against such attacks. “How can we work in an environment where we are beaten up for no fault of ours,” said Mahabal Shetty, the union’s general secretary. “Groups that take the law in their hands should be banned.”

Municipal Commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said the matter would be treated as a departmental emergency and legal action will be taken.

The civic body’s water department, meanwhile, has made a proposal to Kshatriya to declare it a ‘crisis’. Once Kshatriya clears it, it can be passed to the state government.

If the state approves this, it will mean an end to public demonstrations against the water shortage. Nobody can challenge the civic body’s decision in this regard.

Poor rainfall this year forced the BMC to impose a 15 per cent water cut for households to be able to save enough water to meet the demand in summer. Parties have been trying to gain mileage using this issue.

The Act says that whoever does not obey the civic body’s order can be sentenced to imprisonment for six months and fined up to Rs 1,000 or both.

Shiv Sena corporator Rahul Shewale wrote to Kshatriya saying the water crisis was becoming a law and order problem. Shewale said he would request the CM to approve the civic body's request immediately.

A public protest outside the BMC headquarters against water shortage on December 3 turned violent when the police lathicharged the protestors. A member of Swabhimaan Sanghatana died in the incident.

Senior civic officials have asked the police commissioner for security of civic employees and cooperation in taking action against booster pumps.