Rain scanty, so water cut will continue till August 1

Mumbai: With the rain still largely playing truant, the BMC has decided to extend the 10% water cut till August 1. The decision was taken after consulting municipal chief Sitaram Kunte. 

    TOI has learned that the BMC is no hurry to withdraw it as for most citizens, the 10% cut translates into a mere drop in water pressure. But the good news is the civic body will not increase the cut anytime soon. 
    Rajiv Jalota, additional BMC chief, told TOI, "We have decided to continue with the cut as lake levels haven't risen sufficiently. We will take a call again after a few days." TOI has learned that at the meeting with theBMC chief, the water supply department expressed concern 
over depleting lake levels. 
    "The rainfall received in the catchment areas has not been up to the mark, at least not good enough to withdraw the cut," a water supply department official said. This year, the catchment areas have received 35% less rainfall than usual. The water cut, imposed on July 1, has helped raise the water stock in the lakes, which is now likely to last 72 days. Lake levels higher than in 2009, '10 
Mumbai:TheBMChasdecided to continue with the 10% water cut, maintaining that thestep hasbeen taken only as aprecautionary measure. 
    The BMC had earlier introduced water cuts in 2009 and 2010, but it says the lake levels this year are comparatively higher.For example,the water level in Modak Sagar was 149 metres in 2009 and 2010, while it is 155.24 metres this year. 
    "Of course,thesituation is not like last year, but the lake levels have been better than 2009 and 2010," a civic official said. With very scanty rainfall in 2009, the BMC had been forced to impose up to 20%water cuts. 
    Mumbai needs 3,450 million litres of water per day, for which the lakes collectively must have at least 1,254,000 million litres every year. In comparison,the present(asof July 16) collective stock is 2,11,157 million litres. On July 16 last year,thecollectivestock in the lakes was 4,23,651 million litres. 
    The water cut has effectively reduced supply from four lakes—Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tansa and Upper Vaitarna.In termsof timings,the cut amounts to 25 minutes for a four-hour supply. "Unless rainfall increases in the next few days, water cuts willbeheretostay," a civicofficialsaid. 
'No post-'95 connections' 
The BMC said no water connections will be given to post-'95 slum dwellers, unless the cut-off date is revised. Former Colaba corporator Vinod Shekhar had demanded the BMC give connections to all slum dwellers. TNN