BMC cracks whip as water woes worsen

Mumbai: In an unprecedented development in the city, the severe water shortage led to the BMC cutting supply to 32 buildings under construction on Tuesday. Water supply to the 32 sites was snapped within hours of the civic headquarters ordering individual wards to begin cutting supply to new construction, jacuzzis, gardens and swimming pools. Orders were also given to reduce water supply to hotels and clubs.
    The developers who faced cuts were given various reasons, including outstanding arrears. Seven-day warning notices were also delivered to as many as 80 other developers, threatening them with action in case of misuse of water and non-payment of dues.
    Owners of hotels, jacuzzis, clubs, gardens and pools remained unaffected on the first day of the extreme measures taken as officials were still busy compiling information on their numbers and usage. "We hope to save about 200 mld (million litres a day) from the drive,'' said Pramod Charankar, deputy municipal commissioner.
    The city has been reeling under a water shortage due to poor rain in the six catchments.
Although there was heavy rain on Tuesday night, the situation remains grim. Facing the brunt are the western suburbs and the island city. In fact, Upper Vaitarna, the largest supplier of water to that region, is now giving no water. It has dipped below the drawable limit and the BMC has decided not to use its reserves for fear of dipping into water which is to be used the rest of the year. Vihar lake, which supplies mostly to the Kurla area, has also dipped below the drawable limit. However, officials are pumping reserves from that lake.
    Charankar said that the western suburbs and island city have about 20 to 25 days of water left in the Tansa and Modak Sagar (Lower Vaitarna) lakes, while Bhatsa holds a 50- to 55-day supply for the eastern suburbs.

GULP! 30% WATER CUT FROM TODAY

But there's good news... BMC is chalking out a plan to induce artificial rainfall in the city, using an expensive but reliable technique called cloud seeding

As the rains continue to play hideand-seek with the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has imposed 30 per cent water cut across Mumbai starting today. To compensate for the meagre downpour, however, the civic body is contemplating the use of a technology to artificially induce rainfall.
    City lakes are fast drying up, with only 25 days' worth of water left for the western suburbs, and enough to last another two months in the eastern suburbs and the island city.
    According to a senior civic official, the BMC will now stop providing water to swimming pools and private gymnasiums, and curtail supply to government and semi-government organisations including Railways, BPCL and HPCL.
    "We will also supply less water to fivestar hotels and public gardens. The BMC will try to save as much as water as possible, which will be used for drinking purposes," said S Korlekar, chief engineer of the civic hydraulic department.
    Urging people to cooperate with the civic body to save every possible drop, he requested citizens not to use bathtubs for at least a few days. In the meantime, said Korlekar, the BMC is preparing a disaster contingency plan "to cope with the current water crisis".
IF IT DOESN'T RAIN,
IT MAY STILL POUR!
Korlekar revealed that BMC may employ a technology called cloud seeding to induce rainfall in areas where lakes are situated.
    In 2003, an artificial rainfall experiment was conducted in western Maharashtra, covering Satara, Baramati and Pune. Though it was not entirely successful, it still brought much relief to the region.
    This time round, the job will be assigned to a firm that is familiar with the process. "Met department experts and IITians will help us as we try out the technique. It is expensive, but drinking water is important," said a senior civic official.
    Officials are currently working out details of the plan, and will decide whether to go ahead with it in the next eight days.
WHAT ELSE THE BMC IS DOING
TO DEAL WITH WATER CRISIS
An official said that the BMC has decided to clean up and repair all existing borewells and wells, and that Rs 50 lakh will be earmarked for each civic ward to dig new ones.
    He added: "We will also implement rainwater harvesting across the city. Action will be taken against those who do not follow."
WHAT IS CLOUD SEEDING
    Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification where, after a careful study, clouds are sprinkled with sodium chloride and silver iodide to help in the liquefaction of humidity.
    A total of 24 countries currently practise weather modification. In the United States, cloud seeding is used to increase rainfall in areas experiencing drought, to reduce the size of hailstones and to reduce the amount of fog around airports.
    China has the largest cloud seeding system in the world. The technique was used ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing to clear the air of pollution. In February this year, it was also used to artificially induce snowfall over Beijing.