Pvt tanker operators raise charges in Sambhajinagar, households feel the squeeze

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: As summer tightens its grip, private water tanker suppliers in Sambhajinagar have quietly but steadily pushed up their rates, with the latest hike of Rs 100-200 propelling the cost of a 6,000-litre tanker to Rs 700-900, a rise residents say is becoming impossible to absorb.Tanker operators admitted that the surge was inevitable, blaming the drying up of wells and other local sources. "We now drive far into rural pockets to find water. Fuel costs have jumped, so transportation becomes costlier. And that gets passed on to people," a private tanker operator said.The suppliers warned that another hike loomed large in early April as the hunt for water was getting tougher by the day.With entire neighbourhoods dependent on tankers, the residents are furious that the much-awaited new water supply project remains trapped in delays, despite multiple deadlines crumbling over the years. "Our building of eight flats spent Rs 12,000 on tanker water in Feb alone," Rameshwar Pawar from the Satara area said. "With the new rates, the cost will shoot up again. We are probably paying the highest water price in the state, maybe even in the country," he said.For many, borewells offer no relief. "Most borewells run dry by Sept," Digambar Gole from Deolai said. "Except during monsoon, we survive on water tankers and jars. The new water scheme was our only hope, but it simply refuses to materialise," he said.The Rs 2,740-crore water project, originally set for completion in March 2024, is now delayed by two years and still not commissioned. During civic poll campaigning in Jan, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde had confidently assured that the city would receive "smooth water supply in the next two months".But on Monday, industries minister Uday Samant told the legislature that the scheme would be completed by Dec, yet another extension in a long chain of unmet timelines.Attempts to seek clarity from MJP chief engineer Manisha Palande went unanswered till going to press.The Rs 2,740 crore water supply project had the set deadline of March 2024. Despite two years after the lapsed deadline, the project failed to get commissioned.During campaigning for the municipal corporation polls, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde during early January had assured that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will get smooth water supply in "next two months". Responding to a query on the fate of the water supply scheme, Industries Minister Uday Samant on Monday told the State Legislature that the water supply scheme for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will get over by December.Chief engineer of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), Manisha Palande did not respond to calls and messages seeking her comments on the progress of the project.