BMC Under Scrutiny PIL Highlights Acute Water Shortage in Gorai

A recent public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court has drawn attention to the longstanding water crisis faced by residents of Gorai village, Borivali (W), underscoring the urgent need for intervention to address the acute shortage of drinking water in the area.

According to the petition filed by the Gorai Villagers Welfare Association, the scarcity of drinking water is not a seasonal issue but a persistent challenge that adversely affects the daily lives of over 5,000 families residing in Gorai. The village comprises fisherfolk, small-scale farmers, and Adivasis, with only a portion of the population having access to metered water connections. Despite the presence of 23 localities and over 2,000 families with metred connections, the water supply remains inadequate, with residents receiving water for merely one hour per day due to low pressure in the pipeline. This limited supply renders it difficult for households to meet their basic water needs, forcing them to rely on a solitary re-filling tank located at Culvem village.

Furthermore, the petition highlights the dire condition of public wells in Gorai, which are deemed unfit for human consumption, exacerbating the water scarcity issue. Despite previous directives from the High Court permitting the BMC commissioner to address the situation by constructing a suction pump to enhance pipeline pressure, little progress has been made on the ground.

The Gorai Villagers Welfare Association is now urging the High Court to compel the BMC to take immediate action to restore continuous water flow through piped connections and ensure the availability of water tankers to alleviate the residents’ plight. This legal battle underscores the pressing need for governmental authorities to prioritise infrastructure development and water management initiatives to mitigate water scarcity issues plaguing communities like Gorai.

On Mon, its advocate Mohammad Abdi told a bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya that over 2,000 families that have piped water connection receive their bills on time but do not receive water. He said they are compelled to use polluted water in the public wells and purchase water from private tankers at exorbitant rates. The PIL is posted for hearing on Wed.