Automated water meters to ensure supply till 2040: Mundhe

A day after the general body meeting was rocked by the water meter controversy, with the NCP going all out against municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the commissioner has reiterated that the drive will continue.

He said the automated meter reading is required to ensure that the city has water till 2010, for which the corporation had prepared a design scheme.

Commenting on the objections raised in the general body, Mundhe said, “There is no controversy. The decision was taken in 2009. Fitting the meters will give a clear picture of the water supply. If less water is being supplied, we will increase it and where excess is being given it will be controlled.”

Mundhe said, “To ensure 24x7 water supply, AMR metres have already been installed in pipelines of up to 15mm diameter. We are getting them fitted in the 20 mm plus pipelines and the commercial ones.”

The NCP corporators are opposing the civic body’s action and raised it in the general body meeting on Friday.

Mundhe justified the move, saying it will ensure correct meter reading.

“We have initiated action against the commercial users who have not complied with the order. Those who have ordered have had their connections desealed,” he said.

Explaining the reason for the decision, Mundhe said, “This is compulsory as per the Design Scheme plan to ensure adequate water supply from Morbe dam till 2040, as the corporation had planned and decided on in 2009.”

“For this the citizens will have to adapt to certain parameters and this parameter is measuring the consumption of water,” Mundhe said.

He added, “To ensure that the city gets enough water till 2010 we need to have proper water management and proper use.”

Dismissing allegations of promoting meter manufacturers, Mundhe said, “The residents are free to get it from any manufacturer in India. There is no compulsion to choose and that is not my job.”