Surat: The textile processing unit owners in Pandesara GIDC have urged the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) to allow them to procure water needed for industrial use from other sources when the supply of piped water reduces drastically due to water shortage in Tapi river.
Pandesara Green Environment & Water Welfare Cooperative Society has written to the municipal commissioner urging him to allow the textile dyeing and printing mills to procure water from other sources to keep their factories running.
Sources said that the civic body has slashed the daily supply of water to over 125 textile processing units in Pandesara by almost 30 million litre per day (MLD) against the required quantity of 90 MLD. The water cut has been implemented following water management measures taken by the civic body due to depleting water level in the upstream of Tapi river and diverting potable water supply from water treatment plants for satisfying water needs of the denizens.
Kamal Tulsiyan, president of the PGEWWCS, said, “We understand that people of Surat are the first priority when it comes to water shortage. But the industrial units in Pandesara need water to keep their factories operational. Hence, we have urged the municipal corporation to allow industrialists to procure water from other sources like water tankers, etc, till July-2018.”
Sources said that the municipal corporation has taken action against the private water tanker mafia in and around Pandesara area by closing down borewells. The water mafia was drawing water from borewells and selling it to the industrial units in Pandesara and Sachin.
