Mumbai:
The rains have been late this year and the maximum city has minimum water. 18 million Mumbaikars are facing a 10% cut in their water supply from Sunday, July 1.
This comes a day after authorities warned of water rationing in the state capital with only 13 percent water left in the reservoirs.
Minister of State for Urban Development Sachin Aher has criticised the weather department for making "faulty" forecast on arrival of monsoon. The "faulty forecasting did not enable us to make proper planning to conserve the scarce water available at our disposal," Aher said.
The monsoon, which arrives in Mumbai normally by June 10, is yet to make its full impact.
Since the past two days, the state has already initiated steps to combat the situation and is preparing to impose stringent measures to stretch the supply of the available water as much as possible.
While all supplies to agriculture and farmlands have been discontinued and diverted for drinking purposes, various municipal corporations and councils, as also village administrations plan to impose severe water cuts.
Pune, with only four percent water in its reservoirs, has already started implementing alternate day supply from Wednesday. With water levels plummeting to unprecedented depths, questions are being raised on the probable power supply scenario if the monsoon fails.