DON’T GET IN THAT TUB

BMC estimates an average of one crore litres of water is used daily for bathtubs, has launched a campaign to prevent further wastage

 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked residents of elite areas and guests of five-star hotels, to avoid using bathtubs to bathe. The BMC says the city wastes approximately over a crore litres of water a day, due to this. The civic body, therefore, launched a campaign urging people not to use bathtubs, in its Jal Mela – project to educate people about water conservation – that began on Tuesday.
    Santosh Korlekar, chief of the BMC's hydraulic department said they want to run an awareness campaign to reach every bathtub user in the city. "We will use FM radio, newspapers and ask our staffers to ensure that the 'no more baths in bathtubs' pamphlets (that will be created soon) reach all elite residents. We will also display posters, charts and other information at all 24 ward offices," said Korlekar.
    People use bathtubs, mainly in elite areas such as Malabar Hill, Napean Sea Road, Carter Road, Juhu, Nariman Point and some parts of Colaba.
    Another civic official said that they have done a survey and assessed that if people respond to their campaign positively, then the BMC will able to save over a crore litres of water every day. "There are around 10,000 families who use bathtubs to bathe, in the city. Each person uses at least 200 to 230 litres of water in a bathtub, at one time. Besides this, nearly 50 luxurious hotels in Mumbai have bathtubs. This, in a city where people suffer for a litre of water. In the summer, we will face an acute water shortage. The BMC presently receives 3,400 million litres of water every day (MLD), and the demand is 3,800 MLD," he said.
    "We will also conduct competitions and have decided to give awards to those who save water. Peoples' involvement is more important for the success of the campaign. People should imbibe certain habits for the betterment of the city," said Korlekar.
CITIZENS AGREE
Actress Katrina Kaif welcomed the idea saying, "If there is a water crisis, then we should come forward and co-operate with the BMC to save water."
    Vinod Shekhar, Congress corporator from Colaba said, "People should not bathe in bathtubs, as this consumes a lot of water. The BMC should also ensure that the saved water is utilised properly."