‘Will supply water to drought-hit areas’
With several parts of the state reeling under severe drought, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to offer a helping hand. The civic body has expressed its willingness to supply water to the drought-affected areas.
In a letter written to the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, mayor Sunil Prabhu has said that the BMC will try earnestly to quench the thirst of people living in areas under acute water shortage. He also asked the state government to arrange railway transportation system for carrying water to these areas.
“Several parts of state are reeling under severe drought, which is even worst than the 1972 drought. In rural areas, even the livestock is dying,” said the mayor. With Mumbai also facing the threat of water shortage if it doesn’t receive timely rainfall, the BMC will try to supply water to the drought-affected areas with the help of its available water stock.
“To provide water to drought-affected rural areas from civic lakes, railway wagons would be required. The state government should take immediate measures to arrange for transport system for supply water there,” added Mr Prabhu.
However, according to civic officials the process of obtaining permission from the government and making other arrangements may take a month-and-a-half. “We had approached the railway officials for getting wagons to supply water. However, they said such an arrangement could only be made with the directives of the state government,” said a senior civic official.
Even if the water is supplied to drought-affected areas, adequate arrangements should be made for the storage of water, he added.
According to the civic officials, if the BMC decides to supply water to the drought-affected areas, a formal proposal would be tabled in the civic general house, and only after approval the process would be initiated.
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