Water crunch due to mafia: BJP leader

Mumbai: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Raj Purohit on Friday alleged that water scarcity in the A ward has happened due to a nexus between ward officials and water mafia.

He warned that if the water shortage problem was not sorted out soon, the BJP would hold an agitation on October 24. Mr Purohit met civic hydraulic department officials at the BMC headquarters and urged them to end the water crisis in the ward at the earliest.

“There is a nexus between the water department officials of A ward and local water mafia, which has caused the water crisis. Otherwise how come plenty of water is available for water mafia, whereas common people are struggling to get even regular water supply? The situation has not changed even after making repeated complaints to police and civic chief Ajoy Mehta about this,” said Mr Purohit.

Due to water scarcity, people living in slum areas are being forced to buy water from water mafia, who have created terror in A ward, he added. A-ward areas like Colaba, Fort have been facing a water crunch for several days. The problem has affected even the power corridors with the reports of several minister bungalows being hit by water shortage.

According to civic officials, a team of ward officials will carry out a spot survey of 12 areas in A ward on Saturday to study the situation and take measures accordingly to tackle the problem.

“If the problem is not solved, we will hold a dharna at Azad Maidan on October 24 and also protest at BMC headquarters,” said Mr Purohit.