05 June,2023 01:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ashish Shelar. File Pic
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Ashish Shelar on Monday said that the party is opposing the plans to hike water tariff in the city.
An official statement issued by Ashish Shelar said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started preparations to increase the water tariff from June 16. The hike is proposed from 25 paise to 4 rupees per litre and we (BJP) are strongly opposing this price hike.
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"It will not work this way, give property tax exemptions to Mumbaikars with one hand and take them away with the other hand by increasing the water prices. It is a request to the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation that he should prevent any plans to hike water prices," the statement said.
Thanking the Shinde-Fadnavis government for agreeing to provide additional water storage of the state government's quota to Mumbai, Ashish Shelar said that the BJP is opposing the proposed water tariff hike. In a tweet, Shelar said, "Considering the hanging sword of water shortage in Mumbai as there is 11.76 percent water reserve in the dams that supply water to Mumbai, the state government agreed to give its quota of water from Upper Vaitrana to Mumbaikars. Thanks to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister on behalf of Mumbaikars."
The statement said that as of June 4, 2023, reportedly only 11.76 percent of water is left in the lakes and if rains are delayed, it may lead to water scarcity in Mumbai. Therefore, the municipality had requested the government to get reserve water from Upper Vaitrana and Bhatsa dams.
The statement further said that around 3,850 million liters of water is supplied to Mumbai every day from seven lakes including Tansa, Madhya Vaitrana, Bhatsa, Vihar and Tulsi. 14 lakh 47 thousand 363 million liters of water is needed in all the seven dams to fulfill the needs of Mumbaikars for a year.
The statement further said that Ashish Shelar also had a discussion with BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, the commissioner said that the state government has agreed to provide its additional water storage.
