shinde-orders-halt-to-water-tanker-rules-amid-strike

Mumbai is facing a deepening water crisis as a strike by private tanker operators continues to disrupt supply across several areas.

 

In response, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has intervened and directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to suspend the implementation of newly introduced water tanker regulations until 15 June. 

 

The decision aims to ensure uninterrupted water supply to residents as summer temperatures soar.

 

The crisis stems from a notice issued by the BMC to owners of private wells who supply water through tankers in the city. The civic body has asked them to obtain a licence from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) before continuing operations.

 

This requirement sparked protests from the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA), which represents these suppliers. The association claims that enforcing the rule in the middle of the dry season will aggravate the water shortage.

 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has also taken a strong stand on the issue, criticising the BMC's move and linking it to broader governance failures in the city.

 

He held a meeting with party workers on Sunday to discuss the crisis and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deliberately destabilising the city.

 

“I had given the BMC 48 hours to resolve the tanker issue. Now that the time has lapsed, I have directed all my party workers to protest outside every BMC ward office,” he said.

 

Thackeray also alleged that the BJP’s actions—from introducing new taxes to neglecting services like the BEST bus network—were aimed at financially crippling Mumbai.

 

Reacting swiftly to the mounting pressure, Shinde announced his decision just hours after Aaditya’s statement. Addressing the media on Sunday afternoon, he acknowledged the public's distress over water shortages. “Temperatures are rising, and Mumbaikars need water. I have spoken to the BMC commissioner and instructed him to halt the guidelines’ implementation until 15 June. By then, the monsoon will arrive, and the civic body can use that time to work out a solution with the tanker operators,” he said.

Shinde did not hold back in criticising the Thackeray family either. He accused them of failing to address the city’s needs during their time in power and alleged financial mismanagement at the BMC during their tenure. “They cleaned out the BMC exchequer during their rule. In contrast, under my leadership, we have built good roads in Mumbai through the cement concrete roads project,” he asserted.