Asawari Gruhasankul residents protested Cidco Bhawan over persistent water scarcity issues (Photo credit: KK Choudhary)
NAVI MUMBAI: The chronic water scarcity in the Cidco-built mass housing complex-Asawari Gruhasankul-in sector 27, Taloja Phase-2 and repeated false assurances for past three years by Cidco authorities to resolve the issue, compelled the angry residents to stage a massive protest march on Cidco Bhawan in CBD-Belapur on Tuesday.
Several residents took a break from their workplaces to join the agitation to ensure a tangible impact in their demand for adequate potable water supply to 4,338 apartments in 51 towers in the housing complex. A huge mob of around 200 residents including women and senior citizens carrying placards and banners reached the gate of Cidco Bhawan and voiced their protest claiming that Cidco has deprived the residents of the basic amenities like water. Amol Pawar, a banker said, “Every day, we residents of Asawari Gruhasankul have to manage with around 10 minutes of drinking water supply, when comparative the neighbouring NMMC area gets sufficient water supply. We feel being cheated by Cidco by assuring basic amenities when the flats were sold by lottery system in 2018 and since after giving possession in 2021, the residents are suffering from persistent water crisis. ” Following the protest, Cidco authorities gave in wiring to the delegation of agitators mentioning that the water crisis issue of Asawari Gruhasankul will be resolved in coming 15- 20 days by claiming that Cidco has communicated with NMMC to provide additional 20 MLD water supply to Cidco nodes in Navi Mumbai area.
Cidco also claimed that since Taloja node receives water supply from the NMMC, Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) and MIDC, considering the water shut down due to technical reasons, it will be ensured that adequate drinking water supply is provided to the residents of Asawari Gruhasankul.