Is BMC Causing The Water Shortage In Mumbai?

The subject topic was listed for 'discussion' under Message #60892 at the Karmayog Blog:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karmayog/messages

The topic has a large number of responses, most requesting for more controls, regulations and punitive measures. Very few were prepared to address the real issues as I see them. Hence I put my views on record under #55 on 16th March 2010, as shown hereunder.

The fundamental job of every Govt is to 'raise' the standards of living of its citizens. So how will cutting off water to swimming pools help? They recycle the water and replacement is small anyway. Can we only think of 'lowering' standards to meet every crisis? The current shortage of water in Mumbai is due to uncontrolled and unattended pipe leakages and theft (direct and illegal connections). Implementation is the key ... not denial to those who aspire for better standards and quality of life. Remember, if denied they will move away and so will their taxes and contribution to city and nation building activities. They are the wealth and asset creators ... lets not belittle them.

The means suggested to inspect housing complexes, etc. is a pipe-dream; when leakages and illegal connections cannot be reduced, how these new ideas will be implemented? No rules should be made which cannot be implemented without fear or favor. Even power theft, child labor, basic law and order, traffic laws, encroachments and minimum wages act cannot be implemented in the city of Mumbai.

The urban areas are growing relentlessly ... so is Mumbai. Daily we have hundreds of 'wage-earners' arriving with huge aspirations. Obviously their basic needs cannot be accommodated without adequate foresight in planning, execution, outcome ... that is implementation and monitoring. Just denying water to new projects and putting limits of 90 L per day per head will never solve the problem. More has to be planned and executed for. This is where the focus should be ... not 'short cut direct action rabble rousing' plans of cutting off here and there.

Water desalination, new projects are all needed as various types of solutions ... no doubt they cost a lot and also deny rights of the local PAP (project affected persons), but these too have to be provided for. We must not plan to go back to the two buckets per day per person of the last century. Mumbai gets enough rains for all the water needs ... we are not harnessing it. Simple technics like ground charging, retention pools, recycling are not implemented and enforced.

User pays is the norm for all development ... yet we have skewed rates for water ... why? Why a subsidy when shortage is felt? Why not first fix a norm for consumption based on aspirational lifestyle and then telescoping rates for higher consumption. Remember, private sector was not keen to generate electric power because of rampant subsidy and clear case of no recovery of revenue. So we have a tremendous electricity shortage all over the nation. Must we repeat the mistakes again for water for Mumbai?

Governances' first job is to enable projects to provide for its citizens. Controls and regulation must follow, not lead every issue of the city. Let us dream big, plan big, execute and monitor big and get big outcomes for our big nation of a billion plus citizens.

ENFORCING CONSUMER CHOICE … the switchover of electric energy suppliers

Suburban Mumbai had in June 09, been subjected to unprecedented increase in electricity rates due to MERC passing favorable orders on some of the proposals made by Reliance Energy (REL). The situation was such that most Consumers would end up paying almost double their older bills. The reality is that the rates offered by REL and TPL, were vastly different for same product and service in the same area without the Consumer having right to choose between them. The Govt. has been a silent spectator to this injustice. The issue was taken up by JNM and its associate Citizen Groups, in a wide publicity campaign, though the print and TV media and also with the senior officers of REL, MERC and even with Tata Power Ltd (TPL).

The pressure of public opinion and the persistent-accurate-consistent presentations by JNM Volunteers was one of the causes which led the State of Maharashtra to request the MERC to reconsider the increase. This caused a temporary roll back in the increase by virtue of MERC passing a limited stay on the increase by REL.

Not being satisfied with this temporary relief, JNM Volunteers then decided on enforcing choice by the Consumer in choosing the electricity supplier. This is as per our Constitution and the Supreme Court Orders. After numerous meetings with TPL and also with REL, all the concerned parties have accepted this stand of JNM and are now ready for the Consumer to exercise her-his choice.

The fact of the matter is that, JNM has received hundreds of phone calls about the reliability of the electric meters, the random bill values in the recent past and also the uncertainty of rates in the near future. The July 09 JNM-Newsletter went into repeat prints and 21,000 copies were privately circulated in Andheri West and neighboring areas. This had a TPL application cut-out whereby JNM received thousands of applications from Consumers and the housing complexes desiring switchover to TPL. The JNM website: www.jagrutnagrik.com got thousands of hits wherein Consumers registered their names for switchover.

After a lot of persuasion by JNM Volunteers in a democratic and law abiding manner, the Consumers now have the right to choose. This is a big step in improving governance and the Corporates are now cooperating. JNM now has written commitment from TPL to commence switchover for the Consumer, including installation of new meters, with the existing infrastructure of REL. The actual work is now scheduled to begin this week. The TPL staff will visit the housing complexes in Andheri West (later in other areas as well), as per the list given by JNM, and establish a help desk to enable Consumers to complete the paperwork. The current rates including the ‘wheeling charge’ (which is Rs.0.88 per unit to be paid by the Consumer to TPL who in turn will pay REL for use of the latter’s infrastructure as per the Supreme Court and MERC orders), will still enable the Consumer to save substantial amount in their monthly billing. Also, the new Class 0.5 meters will leave no room for doubts of their accuracy.

Those housing societies who have not yet filed their requests with JNM, are requested to do so at their earliest so that their Members enjoy lower bills in the immediate future. They need to submit letters to JNM with the names and mobile codes of their Members who wish to switchover, to enable JNM to lobby with TPL for early process.

Praful Vora, Volunteer JNM. 31^st August 2009.

Email: jnm.movement@gmail.com