Water Mafia of Mumbai  #05: The Ulhas River: Battling the Water Tanker Mafia

Vivek Agrawal

Mumbai, 19 August 2019

The Ulhas River, a critical water source for significant cities within the Thane district, finds itself grappling with a myriad of challenges, most notably the rise of water pollution.

Regrettably, despite the escalating issue, the administrative authorities have yet to initiate meaningful actions to combat this environmental degradation.

In an alarming twist, the Ulhas Riverbed at Badlapur Chowpatty has transformed into a site where multiple tankers simultaneously extract water.

Amidst this dire scenario, the administrative bodies stand accused of neglecting to take punitive measures against the nefarious water tanker mafias that are capitalizing on this situation.

The lamentable state of water pollution isn’t confined solely to the Ulhas River but also extends to the Valdhuni River, both integral waterways in the Thane district.

Despite court mandates, the local municipalities and administrative entities have struggled to curb the onslaught of water pollution coursing through the Ambernath and Badlapur regions.

With the inexorable march of urbanization, the noxious effluents emanating from both industrial companies and residential households within the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) are further tainting the waters of the Ulhas River.

Astonishingly, the administration has failed to institute meaningful preservation measures for this vital river.

In this concerning context, the Ulhas River has become the ill-fated target of the water tanker mafias’ voracious appetite for profiteering. These illicit actors are supplying water for various ongoing construction projects in Shah and elsewhere.

A disconcerting sight unfolds as the tankers of these water tanker mafias stand in a row along the riverbed adjacent to the chowpatty, adjacent to the road leading to Badlapur village, siphoning water from the river.

This daylight plunder of hundreds of thousands of liters of water from the Ulhas Riverbed continues unchecked.

Consequently, while housing complexes across numerous parts of Badlapur grapple with water shortages, the municipal authorities and concerned agencies offer water conservation lessons to the residents residing within them.

Strikingly, despite the blatant theft of substantial volumes of water occurring in broad daylight, government officials and representatives abstain from filing complaints with the Minor Irrigation Department.

The officials of the Maharashtra Life Authority, responsible for supplying water to the city, ought to take the grievance to the Lagupat Dam Department.

In alignment, the Lagupat Dam Department’s team underscores the imperative need to take punitive action against those unlawfully extracting water from tankers.

Next: Water Mafia of Mumbai  #06: The Factsheet

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