Don’t waste water during Holi, civic body to housing societies Jewellery, laptop robbed from Kopar Khairane home

With further cut in water supply announced by the water supply department of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), officials are appealing to residents not to waste water this Holi.

Holi will be celebrated on March 23.

The NMMC has decided to cut water supply during evenings for six days a week from Monday.

The civic body has decided to do extensive awareness campaigning to urge people to have a waterless Holi to save water in the time of water crisis.

The NMMC officials have planned to spread messages through posters, banners and hoardings asking people to only play dry Holi.

“We will pledge to save water An Indian silk cotton tree, also known as savar, on the Badlapur-Ambernath highway is filled with red flowers, which blooms at the outset of summer. in every way possible this Holi and are expecting residents to co-operate with us,” said mayor Sudhakar Sonawane.

Officials said the NMMC has already started printed banners and handbills which will be put at all prominent locations and also distributed in schools, colleges and housing societies.

“We will be doing as much awareness through various mediums as possible, including social media networks. It has to be a combined effort to save water to last till monsoon,” said Arvind Shinde, executive engineer, water department, NMMC.

While the municipal corporation is stepping up efforts to spread ‘ save water’ message, some housing societies and associations have already come forward to do their bit.

The Nerul-Belapur’s Walkers Associations have decided to celebrate a dry Holi.

“We have been always trying not to waste water during Holi. This time, we will use only natural colours and play dry Holi. This is a small step to conserve water in times of scarcity,” said Brigadier Dharamprakash, member of the association.

Many residents said they have already planned to discuss this in their upcoming society meeting and appeal to all to save water.

“We had been planning this for a few days and have put up on our notice board to use water judiciously and also take care that children do not use pipe water,” said Subhadeep Bhattacharya, resident of Balaji Housing Society in Seawoods.

“The decision is a must as many places in the city have acute water shortage,” he added.

T h e Ko p a r Khairane police have registered a case after some unidentified people broke into a row house and stole valuables worth Rs1.79 lakh.

According to t he police, Venkat Subramaniam, a resident of row house number 1 at Dhwani housing society in Sector 15, had gone to Tirupati with his family on February 25. They returned on Wednesday to see that the house had been broken into.

“We think the incident took place a few hours before we reached home. We spotted pieces of chocolates on the floor which had not melted,” Subramaniam said.

The culprits entered the house by breaking the lock at the main entrance and then broke open the cupboards. The stolen goods included gold jewellery, a laptop, US$250 and UAE dirham 600.

“There were neither security guards nor CCTV cameras on the premises. Even the neighbours have also pleaded ignorance about the incident,” said a police officer from Kopar Khairane police station.

“We have registered a case under sections 454, 457, and 380 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It is too early to suspect anyone to be involved. We are investigating the case and hope to solve it soon,” he added.

RISHIKESH CHOUDHARY