Close the tap: Mumbai's water stock dips to 27%

The city's water stock has dropped to 27 per cent – the meagre amount is supposed to see Mumbaikars through the next two-and-a-half months. A cause of worry is also the prediction of lesser rain in the first two months of monsoon due to El Niño conditions.

At this time last year, the city's reservoirs were stocked till 40 per cent.

Due to poor rainfall last year, the seven lakes that supply water to Mumbai were filled up only up to 91 per cent at the end of the monsoon. This prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to declare 10 per cent water cut on November 14 when the stock dropped to 76 per cent.

However, it did not help; the swelling city uses up 10 to 12 per cent of the water stock every month (1.50 lakh litres).

When asked about contingency measures, a BMC official said that the civic body will use reserved stock if needed.

"The ruling parties want to cover their poor management of the situation as elections are around the corner," said Rais Shaikh, group leader of Samajwadi Party. "Despite the BJP being in power in the Centre and the state, they could not clear the Gargai-Pinjal dam project which would increase water stock for the city."