700 million litres of water stolen daily

Mumbai is losing 700 million litres of water per day, thanks to water thieves. As BMC has not been able to stop water-lines from leaking, it has started taking strict action against the thieves. This year, the BMC had lodged 491 police complaints against water thieves at various police stations under section 425 (mischief), 426 (punished for mischief), 430 (mischief by injury to works of irrigation or by wrongfully diverting water) and 379 (punishment for theft) of the IPC.

Cases of water theft in eastern suburbs (210) are more compared to the city (74) and western suburbs (107). In eastern suburbs, Shivaji Nagar, Govandi and Mankhurd are the hub of water thieving, said chief hydraulic engineer, Madhukar Kamble. Maximum complaints have been lodged at Shivaji Nagar police station, he added.

“All these offences are residential and the BMC had cut the respective unauthorised connections. These connections are mostly in slums.” Kamble said.