The issue was raised during a debate in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where legislators highlighted the impact of water shortages on thousands of residents
Responding to the concerns, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal defended the actions of CIDCO. Representational Pic/File
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday alleged serious mismanagement and lack of transparency by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in handling water supply projects in Navi Mumbai and surrounding areas, reported the PTI.
The issue was raised during a debate in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where legislators highlighted the impact of water shortages on thousands of residents.
BJP MLA Prashant Thakur said many residential societies in Navi Mumbai, Panvel, and Uran were facing chronic water shortages.
He alleged that CIDCO’s figures on incremental water supply were misleading and claimed that residents were forced to rely heavily on private water tankers, spending crores of rupees annually, according to the PTI.
Thakur also pointed to alleged inconsistencies in official data related to reservoir capacities and pipeline infrastructure, and called for the creation of a state-level authority to coordinate water distribution among CIDCO, municipal corporations and local panchayats.
More allegations over project delays
Another BJP MLA, Mahesh Baldi, supported the claims and said delays in automation projects and poor reservoir management were worsening the water crisis, the news agency reported.
He urged the government to ensure that planned supply schemes are implemented without further delay.
Govt responds to allegations
Responding to the concerns, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal defended the actions of CIDCO.
She said several short-term measures were being implemented, including the use of surplus water from reservoirs in Navi Mumbai and the diversion of allocations from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) pipeline, as per the PTI.
Long-term projects underway
According to the PTI, Misal said that the long-term projects, including the Savase-Vang water supply scheme, were currently being implemented to address the issue.
She also informed the House that a tender has been issued for the full automation of the water supply system, with the project expected to be completed by December 2026, the news agency reported.
The minister further said that a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would be held before the end of the current session to resolve water management issues in the region.
(with PTI inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
