KALYAN: Facing mounting concerns over water scarcity across Kalyan-Dombivli and its adjoining 27 villages, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Commissioner Abhinav Goel has announced plans to release a white paper addressing the issue. The announcement was made during the general body meeting held on Monday.Highlighting the severity of the problem, particularly during the summer months, Goel said the white paper would outline the current situation, challenges, and proposed measures to tackle water shortages in the region.As part of immediate action, the civic body will intensify its crackdown on illegal water connections. Special teams will be deployed at ward level to identify and disconnect unauthorised tap connections. The commissioner also urged citizens to cooperate with the administration in this drive. Strict action will be taken against service centres, including vehicle washing units, found operating with illegal water connections.The civic administration will also focus on detecting and plugging leakages in water pipelines. Areas receiving contaminated water due to damaged pipelines will be identified, and urgent repairs will be undertaken. In regions such as Bhopar and other villages, where water pressure remains low, efforts are underway to improve supply. A recent meeting with MIDC officials was held to address this concern.Currently, around 55 to 66 million litres per day (MLD) of water is supplied to the 27 villages. The administration is working to increase this quota to 105 MLD. Additionally, a detailed report on damaged pipelines will be prepared to expedite repair work.To fast-track urgent water-related projects, corporators have been asked to submit proposals worth Rs 10–15 lakh from their allocated funds. The administration has assured swift approvals to ensure timely execution of such works.The water crisis also dominated discussions in the general body meeting, with corporators from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), BJP, Uddhav Sena, MNS and Congress strongly criticising the administration. They questioned the relevance of smart city projects when basic necessities such as water remain unmet.In a notable remark, Mayor Harshali Chaudhari admitted that even her ward is facing water shortages. “Citizens question us about water supply, and I myself am facing the same issue,” she said, directing officials to ensure that residents do not suffer due to water scarcity.The mayor instructed the administration to take immediate steps to resolve the crisis and provide relief to citizens at the earliest.
