Mumbai: Failing to obtain relief from the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) required by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) will halt their supply service starting Wednesday midnight.
The water tanker operators primarily supply non-potable water sourced from local wells and borewells, which is essential for construction sites, major infrastructure projects such as road concretisation, metro rail, and bullet trains, as well as hotels and malls.
The BMC, through notices, had directed well owners to obtain an NOC from the CGWA, failing which existing permissions would be revoked. Sources revealed that if they continue supplying water without the CGWA NOC after receiving the notice, the BMC can impose a fine ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000.
Amol Mandre, a treasurer of the MWTA, stated, “We will have to stop our services as per the BMC’s order, or they have threatened us with legal action. We have tried reaching out to every possible authority to highlight the challenges we are facing in obtaining the NOC. Despite our efforts, no discussions have been initiated, leaving us with no option but to halt our supply services.”
He further emphasised, “Around 2,000 water tankers supply between 250 to 300 million litres (ML) of non-potable water daily to the city. If we stop our supply, how will the BMC fulfill the water requirements of their infrastructure projects? These projects, including construction sites and major developments, depend heavily on this supply for various non-potable uses.”
The tanker association argued that the CGWA’s NOC is mandatory only for potable water extraction, while they draw non-potable water from these wells.
Ankur Sharma, spokesperson for the MWTA, stated, “Complying with the CGWA conditions is challenging. One condition requires 200 sq meters of land around each well, along with the installation of a flow meter and a GPS tracking system. Where will we find such space in a densely populated city like Mumbai? The guidelines are meant for other cities, and the BMC is forcefully implementing them here.”
Meanwhile, Ashish Shelar, minister for culture and information technology, has written to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, requesting their intervention.
