The Jal Pujan (water worship) ceremony at Morbe Dam has sparked controversy, with the opposition party alleging that they were excluded from the event and that only selected party leaders were invited by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). In response, the Navi Mumbai Congress submitted a letter to the municipal commissioner, expressing concerns about the selective treatment by the corporation.
For the second consecutive year, the Morbe Dam, located in Khalapur Taluka of Raigad district, reached full capacity following good rainfall. Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik and municipal commissioner Dr. Kailash Shinde performed the Jal Pujan on Thursday at the Morbe Dam project site.
Civic officials, along with two former mayors, Jaywant Sutar and Sudhakar Sonawane, were also present. Additionally, former corporator Vinod Mhatre attended the event.
Also Read: Navi Mumbai: Morbe Dam's Water Level Nears Maximum Capacity
Notably, NMMC is the only civic body in India to have purchased its own dam after independence. The Morbe Dam serves as the main water source for the city of Navi Mumbai.
Ravi Sawant, the spokesperson for the Navi Mumbai Congress, stated that the filling of the Morbe Dam is a joyous occasion for every resident of Navi Mumbai, as it alleviates issues like water cuts and shortages. However, he alleged that the NMMC administration has politicized the water worship ceremony. “Opposition leaders, former corporators, and former deputy mayors of the corporation were not invited to this event. Instead, only a selected party MLA, former mayors, and former corporators were invited, giving the event a selected political party event,” Sawant alleged. He added that the corporation overlooked former deputy mayors during the water worship event.
The Navi Mumbai Congress has also submitted a letter to the municipal commissioner expressing their discontent.
After performing the Jal Pujan, municipal commissioner and administrator Dr. Shinde noted that the Morbe Dam was filled to capacity by August this year, which is a matter of joy for the residents of Navi Mumbai, attributing this to nature’s grace. He added that equitable water distribution is being implemented to ensure a clean, pure, and adequate water supply to Navi Mumbaikars, with future planning considering the city’s growing population.
This year, the Morbe Dam area received excellent rainfall, allowing the dam to reach full capacity by the end of August. To date, 3,374 mm of rainfall has been recorded in the area, and the water level has reached a full 88 meters. The dam has a water storage capacity of 191.463 MCM, and water was released from the dam after Jal Pujan.
Last year, the Congress party also demanded that the NMMC administration ensure no one enters the Morbe Dam premises without the civic body’s permission. The party had alleged that former mayors and a few former corporators from a political party entered the dam premises and performed Jal Pujan. They argued that since the dam is a restricted area, no one should be allowed to enter without civic body permission.