After 30 days, BMC withdraws 15 per cent cut in water supply

  • 31/07/2008

  • Indian Express (Mumbai)

Mumbai, July 30 After 30 days of implementation of 15 per cent cut in the water supply timings in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday withdrew its order saying that the water levels at catchments have improved. The civic body said that considerable amount of recent rainfall in the catchment areas have raised the lake levels and there is no need to subject Mumbaiites to water cut. "Today's lake level storage has reached 90 per cent of last year's storage on this day. After reviewing the situation, we have taken a decision to restore water supply with regular timings,' said Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, while making the announcement of withdrawing water cut in the standing committee. Civic officials said that catchments of all the lakes have received satisfactory rains in the last week and water levels have improved. After Modak Sagar lake, last week's incessant rainfall has resulted in overflowing of Tulsi lake as well. However, the BMC had earlier denied on withdrawing the water cut stating that overall lake levels need to be increased. Hydraulic Engineer, M M Kamble said that in the last two days there has been adequate rainfall in the catchment areas. "From around 5 lakh million litres, the water storage of lakes has risen to 6.33 lakh million litres on Wednesday,' Kamble said. Last year on July 30, the water level was 7.5 lakh million liters. "We have reached 90 per cent of last year's storage, so it is safe to withdraw the water cut,' he added.