Panvel: Even as the water crisis in Kharghar and Taloja attained criticality, the Panvel Municipal Corporation held a meeting to address ways to mitigate the problem.

The meeting chaired by Mangesh Chitale, commissioner, PMC, was attended by officials from the municipal corporation and Maharashtra Jeevan Authority and the Maharashtra State Industrial Development Corporation.

According to PMC, Kharghar received 76 MLD (million litres per day) and Taloja 18 MLD. However, supply has decreased to 70 MLD for Kharghar and 15 MLD for Taloja, a reduction of 6 and 3 MLD, respectively.

In the meeting, Chitale proposed that CIDCO should restore the original water supply to 76 MLD for Kharghar and 18 MLD for Taloja. Officials from the concerned agencies responded positively, agreeing to the suggestion.

However, the PMC’s decision failed to prove of any help for Kharghar residents who have been facing the brunt of the water crisis.

“Regardless of what PMC does, it all boils down to poor planning by CIDCO. For quick fixes, CIDCO decreases the water provided to some areas and gives more to others. This should not happen. Water is still under CIDCO, not PMC. We have seen no improvements in the last 3-4 years, and there has been no significant increase in MLD post-COVID,” said Kiran Patil, a former PMC corporator.

“Citizens have asked for permissions for new constructions to be revoked, but where do they have the provision to allot water? CIDCO controls the dam, and PMC needs to streamline water management. Kharghar itself needs 15 MLD, and there is a shortfall of 18-20 MLD,” he added.

“The poor planning is from CIDCO, as PMC was established in 2016. There has been no improvement on the ground. PMC has no control over water supply, as Hetawane Dam and water supply remain under CIDCO,” said Patil

“We don’t know the exact situation. CIDCO keeps adjusting the figures and isn’t providing correct information. They say they are providing water, but it’s not actually reaching us. We just have to believe the CIDCO officers,” said Cdr S H Kalawat echoing similar concerns.