Not a drop to drink

It's that time of the year when Mumbaikars head for the shoreline, be it at Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu Beach or the sandy Shivaji Park

Not a drop to drink

Even though the heavens open up and wash the city clean of all its dust, rust and agony, the civic body sends out water cuts that make the average Mumbaikar cry a gallon of tears. The seven lakes that are the source of potable water to this city are forever struggling to maintain their sustainable levels. And this has been the case for the past five years. Each year, the BMC throws up its arms and hopes that the rain gods will arrive in abundance to their rescue.

Two years ago, the civic body was dipping into the reserve tanks and had sent out a public warning that the city had only a week's worth of water supply. Scared, anxious and shocked, we sat down and prayed to the gods. Water came gushing down and the levels of the reserve tanks rose. Not enough said the BMC, and we prayed some more. It rained for three days on the trot, and broke every record in the history of this monsoon-affectionate city, and yet the BMC asked us to pray some more. The scene is the same this year as well. Here we are facing water cuts, and the faithful are greasing up the gods.

Ironic as it may seem, but for a civic body that has an annual budget that is larger than the budget of many European nations, we are still dependent on mother nature for the steady water supply to this city. The water supply has been the same, but the demand has increased tenfold. Old buildings in the city have made way for multi-storey high-rises that have increased the city's demand for water.

Where is that deficit going to be satiated from? And the demand will only increase as the concrete jungle expands its wings to the suburbs in the East, West and North.

Act now, save now, plan now. Or else we will be filling and drinking from bottles of tears.

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