The tribal inhabitants, mostly women, of the six villages in Thane’s Shahapur taluka, just 55km away from Mumbai, are vehemently protesting the diversion of their “rightful” water share to Mumbai and Thane municipal corporations. The women asserted that due to the ‘man-made’ water crisis, they have to tread 12-15 kms daily to fetch a pot of water.

The villages of Fugale, Kalamgaon, Dhasai, Veholi Bri, Birwadi and Aghai alleged that water from 189 schemes of Jal Jeevan Mission, which is meant for them, is being supplied to the neighbouring cities. The protesting women have demanded that the government must give an account for every drop of water pumped through hundreds of schemes.

“All the wells and tanks have run dry. Not a drop has trickled in the taps for the last three months. A single tanker brings water erratically two-three times a week for six villages,” fumed Rukmini Lone from the Fugale village. She has to trek about 8km daily to collect a pot of drinking water for her family of nine.

Activist Alleges Negligence In Water Supply Schemes

According to activist and Shramjeevi Sangathan founder Vivek Pandit, Shahapur taluka is deprived of the rightful share of water from the Bhavli Yojana, which aimed to quench the thirst of 103 villages by supplying water from Igatpuri and Nashik. “The contractors were not working in 88 out of 189 schemes. While 12 contractors are simply not interested in working, four schemes are pending with the wildlife department for approval,” alleged Pandit.

Activist Join Tribals To Protest Amid Water Crisis

He has met the protesting women at Gangamai Devasthan to discuss a way to tide over the water crisis. Pandit expressed anger at the BMC’s “failure” for defaulting on Rs56 lakh water cess owed to the Zilla Parishad. Compounding the tribals’ woes, the Nashik Zilla Parishad has stopped the additional supply for want of Rs5 crore, the payment pending with regard to Bhavli Dam Yojana.

The district administration remained silent on the protest citing election model code of conduct and lack of funds to provide water tankers for supply of potable water to thirsty villages.