The Water you drink
BY SUYASH PADATE
And you thought the water Mumbai consumes is really potable? Well, you might soon have another think coming. The Bhatsa River which supplies water to Mumbai is contaminated and polluted due to human (mis)deeds while authorities choose to turn a blind eye. Bhatsa River, located near Khadavali railway station of the Kasara section, has become a picnic spot. Its proximity to the city makes it the ideal weekend picnic spot. When this correspondent visited the site, quite a few appalling facts were noticed.
While picnickers were taking a dip in the river, women washed clothes and vehicles were being washed on the bank, cocking a snook to the fact that the same water would later be consumed after they get back home. Locals, on their part, are making hay by setting up shacks selling food right across the river. In fact, even liquor is freely sold in these wayside makeshift eateries. After consuming liquor and food, the remnants are trashed in the river without batting an eyelid. Consequently, the filth floats in the river, eventually finding its way towards Mumbai.
In fact, the river bank also serves as a crematorium for locals. A couple of weeks ago, this correspondent saw a body being cremated right beside a board which read: ‘Cremation not allowed’. The remains of the cremation flow into the river further increasing the risk of pollution.
When contacted, Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar admitted that the Bhatsa dam was the responsibility of his department. “But, as far as the portion of the river near Khadavali station is concerned, it is out of our jurisdiction. As Bhatsa flows towards Mumbai and the water is used for the metropolis, it is the responsibility of the BMC and police. The irrigation department is not concerned with it,” Pawar told this newspaper.
The state government has put the ball in BMC’s court. No official of the BMC Hydraulic Engineer’s department was available for comment on this sensitive issue. This water flows into the Pise and Panjrapur pumping stations of BMC where water is treated. But as the water is highly polluted, it requires vigorous treatment, adding to the electricity bill which runs into a whopping Rs three crore per month for both pumping stations. While on the one hand, it adds up to BMC’s expenses, on the other, any human or any technical error could prove hazardous to several Mumbaikars.
If this goes on, Mumbaikars who blindly gulp down the water which flows out of their taps every morning, may not know what’s in store for them if the situation continues. But are the concerned authorities listening?