Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Water Supply under threat

Friday June 20, 2008
A notice has been put up at the ward office warning residents of disconnection of supply of water in case of failure of bill payment
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) has put up a notice board in Ghansoli F-ward office, warning the residents of cutting the water supply in case of default in payment of pending bills.
The notice says, "If residents are not paying their pending water bill charges, then NMMC will disconnect their water connection."
However, this decision has not gone down well with the residents, as they feel NMMC's move is boorish, as water is an essential commodity for people.
NMMC is running a drive in the slums of Ghansoli, in which, more than 300 waterline connections have been cut. On June 18, about 175 waterlines were disconnected and on June 19, more than 180 lines were disconnected.
Speaking to New Bombay Plus. Asha Verma, a resident from Ghansoli says, "Waterline disconnection is inhuman. The charge for the supply of water isn't much. Every year. NMMC has a budget of more than Rs 500 crore. Residents of slum areas should be either rehabilitated or some alternative solution should be worked out. Depriving them of water is not the solution." Verma is a social worker and has been working on educating people staying in slum area.
According to Vijay R Ranjane, Ghansoli ward officer, "Our drive will continue for a few more days. We are targeting Talvali village, Dutta Nagar and other areas, where unauthorised water connections have increased in Ghaansoli in recent times and to curb this, we have to take stern steps."
Says Shyam Sunder, a resident from Talvali, "Whenever there are elections in the city, politicians will guard these areas. Now that there are no elections, we are being troubled unnecessarily." Sunder stays in a rented flat and the owner, who hasn't paid the water bill for more than two years, has gone to his village on a vaction.
Adds Sunder, "My flat owner didn't tell me anything about bill details, as I am not supposed to pay the water bill, but since ether past few days, I have not been getting water supply."
As per the Maharashtra State government act, NMMC has legalised slums established since 1995.
According to Ranjane, "In Ghansoli, most of the development has taken place after 1995 and hence the construction at many places in Ghansoli is illegal. NMMC commissioner Vijay Nahata has instructed the ward office to carry disconnection of the defaulters' waterline."

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