Thane Water Crisis: Mayor Slams Officials

Mayor Sharmila Pimpalkar expressed her dissatisfaction with the Water Supply Department officials for offering evasive and unclear responses rather than resolving the issue, and all-party women members criticised the administration for the water scarcity affecting Thane city. She warned them firmly that they would face consequences. Officials failed to provide satisfactory answers to the questions raised by the corporators. 

The water problem dominated Wednesday’s general body meeting of the Thane Municipal Corporation. The lack of water supply in Kalwa, Mumbra, and Ghodbunder Road led the representatives to voice strong opinions. 

Corporators alleged that water distribution services have completely collapsed in Mumbra, Kausa, Diva (rural), and Kalwa. Residents are not receiving water on time. It was brought to the house’s attention that in the Mumbra area, with a population of about 500,000 to 1,000,000, there is only one water tanker available to supply water during shortages.

Construction of two water tanks in the area is moving at a snail’s pace, and work on the “sewer” in the Indira Nagar area is also reportedly progressing very slowly. In response, Deputy City Engineer of the Water Supply Department, Vinod Pawar, stated that work in some areas was delayed into the month of Ramadan.

Mayor Sharmila Pimpalkar expressed her anger because officials failed to provide satisfactory answers to the questions raised by corporators. She noted that she had held a meeting regarding the water issue the previous month and had ordered officials to eliminate the shortage.

The meeting was attended by several leaders, including Pramila Keni, Malati Patil (Shiv Sena), Anita Gauri, Chandrakanta Salvi, Ekta Bhoir, Babaji Patil, Marziya Pathan (NCP), Sudhir Bhagat, and Abhijit Pawar.