We will stage protest if water crisis continues, says BJP MLA

Thane: The BJP has threatened to protest if the Thane municipal administration fails to resolve the water crisis faced by thousands of households along the plush Ghodbunder road locales in the chief minister’s city.
BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar issued the protest warning in the backdrop of a meeting held with senior officials of the water supply department on Friday about the crisis in supply to various parts of Thane. Kelkar who had raised the issue in the Assembly last week said, the corporation has assured him to regularise the water supply in coming days, failing which, he said, he would stage a protest.
It may be recalled that residents from thousands of plush residential complexes along the Ghodbunder road complain they have been facing massive water crisis despite paying premium rates for flats and civic taxes. Few societies have claimed to incur additional expenses to the tune of lakhs by purchasing tanker water for their daily needs.
Accordingly, Kelkar along with the residents of few complexes met with the senior officials from the water supply department who assured them of resolving the water shortage issue in their respective areas soon.
A senior official in the water supply department said they have launched an area-wise survey to examine the cause of low water supply and will take corrective action soon. However, sources requesting anonymity said that the supply network was plagued with several complexities and the issue was unlikely to be sorted soon.
However, Kelkar, who has also taken up the issue in the past said, “We will wait for the corporation to live up to their promise of improving the water supply to Ghodbunder road. Residents have tolerated water scarcity for a very long time now and are paying through their noses for tanker supplies almost daily. If the corporation fails to improve the situation, we will come to streets and protest.”
Meanwhile, Kelkar’s protest warning has raised eyebrows among political circles as his party shares power with Shiv Sena rebel faction led by CM Eknath Shinde, who is also a Thane resident and is known to have an iron grip over the municipal corporation since the last several decades.