Morbe dam at 73.90 per cent usable storage, NMMC urges citizens to use water sparingly
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has issued water-saving guidelines and warned of penal action against violators as usable stock in Morbe dam falls.
Water stock in the Morbe dam, which supplies Navi Mumbai, has dropped considerably. Only 73.90 per cent usable water is left in the dam at present. The reasons cited are conditions arising from global climate change, forecasts this year about 'El Nino' and 'IOD', and low rainfall.
To prevent a shortage later, the water supply department of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has appealed to citizens to use water carefully and sparingly. Keeping in view the city's daily water requirement, the civic administration has also issued some key guidelines for residents. It has also warned of penal action against those who break the rules.
The administration has said, first, that people should take special care that water storage tanks do not overflow. Stored water should not be thrown away as stale. Any leakage from taps or pipes at home should be fixed immediately. Residents have also been asked to keep taps closed when not needed and to stop wastage of water completely.
The corporation has issued a clear warning that anyone caught washing vehicles with drinking water will face direct penal action. Use of drinking water in construction work is strictly prohibited. Those found doing so will have their tap connection cut off immediately and will also face penal action. The corporation has also said that water from the drinking-water tap connection given to building projects must be used only for drinking.
The administration says the usable water in the Morbe dam has fallen because of low rainfall and a changing climate. Navi Mumbai's daily water requirement is large, so proper planning of the available water is essential.
The Commissioner of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has also appealed to all citizens of the city to use every drop of water carefully and to cooperate with the corporation in averting the coming water crisis.
According to the administration, it is better to plan the existing stock now than to look for a remedy after a shortage arises. If needless use of water is reduced across households, commercial establishments and the construction sector, the existing stock can last longer. In this sense, saving water is everyone's responsibility.
