On Monday, the Shiv Sena (UBT) organized a protest demanding an additional 70-80 million liters per day (MLD) of water for the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation areas located in the adjacent Palghar district.
Several party workers agitated outside the Bandra Kurla Complex headquarters of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and MLC Sunil Shinde, who is the party’s sampark pramukh for Palghar, met Metropolitan Commissioner Ashwin Mudgal over the demand.
According to a memorandum of demands presented by the Shiv Sena (UBT), the population in the regions falling under the Vasai-Virar civic body currently stands at 24 lakh people. However, the water requirement for this area is 372 million liters per day (MLD), while it is currently receiving only 230 MLD. It said a pipeline is being laid to bring 165 MLD of water to Virar-Vasai city from MMRDA’s Surya Water Supply Scheme, which has a capacity of 403 MLD.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) of intentionally delaying the commencement of the infrastructure required to supply 70-80 million liters per day (MLD) of water from Kashid-Kopar out of the total 165 MLD available. The infrastructure was ready and could have started in July, according to the party.
The local municipal corporation has also communicated the issue to MMRDA but has not received any response, as claimed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Additionally, a letter from party leader Aaditya Thackeray has been submitted to MMRDA, and the authority has provided assurance that the additional water supply will begin within a month, as reported by a party representative.