Kharghar: For over a month, residents of Kharghar have been grappling with irregular and insufficient water supply from CIDCO. The city has been left to fend for itself as CIDCO continues to delay action, citing repair work as the primary reason for the disruption. This has forced several housing societies in the area to resort to purchasing water from tankers, placing an undue financial burden on the citizens.
With an ongoing water shortage of 10 to 15 million liters per day, Kharghar is facing one of the most severe water crises in recent times. In contrast, rural areas of Panvel, with over 50 villages relying on tankers, have also been affected by similar water scarcity.
Despite repeated assurances from CIDCO, the issue remains unresolved, leading to growing unrest among the residents. On April 29, Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Raigad District Chief Shirish Gharat, took a strong stance against CIDCO’s negligence. The party submitted a memorandum to CIDCO’s Executive Engineer K. Gaikwad and Assistant Executive Engineer Praful Devre, demanding immediate resolution of the water crisis. Shiv Sena has warned that if action is not taken swiftly, the party will resort to protests to ensure that the issue is addressed.
As water scarcity continues to worsen, there is growing concern about the role of the tanker lobby in exacerbating the crisis. Sources suggest that the tanker lobby, which operates unchecked in the area, is charging exorbitant rates for water delivery, leading to accusations that both CIDCO and the local municipal corporation are not doing enough to regulate these charges. Questions have been raised about whether there is a hidden connection between the authorities and the tanker lobby, further compounding the problem.
With residents’ patience wearing thin, it remains to be seen whether CIDCO will take swift action to resolve the water crisis or if protests will intensify in the coming days.
