Even the most pessimistic Mumbaiite who believes that water shortage is a way of life here will find it hard to believe that the people of Shanti Nagar (this 650-building complex is supposedly the largest in the world ever undertaken by a private builder) used to collect water from gutters to clean their toilets courtesy, inadequate supply from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Thane. Eight years down the line, only a few residential complexes in Mira Road get drinking water (nowhere near being adequate) supplied by Mira Bhayander Municipal Council (MBMC). Rest of them stilldepend on tanker supply for domestic use -- the early morning crowd at the MBMC public garden where people line up to fetch water from the hose pipe is nothing but depressing.

According to MBMC chief executive officer, Sampatrao Shinde: "Till now the answer to our 75 MLD (million litre per day) need has been 30 MLD -- one-third of our requirement. The situation will change in the next two years with Rs 110 crore that we got from state government, Rs 48 crore grant-in-aid and Rs 62 crore loan from Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRD)." MBMC, Shinde adds, has already given Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran the initial installment of Rs 7.5 crore and as per their agreement with Pradhikaran, MBMC should be getting an additional 50 MLD two years down the line. "Once we get this additional supply, we can also direct it to Shanti Nagar," Shinde assures.

But does the figure include the possibility of ever increasing housing complexes in Mira Road? And what till then? Trust our planners! For now,according to corporator S Muzaffar Hussain, the water pipelines in Shanti Nagar are very old and need to be replaced. The crisis, he says, is further complemented with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) being shut down every Friday MSEB supplies electricity to pump the water at the pumping stations of Kalyan and Thane from where the water pipelines draws water here. This affects the water supply.

And as far as banking on tanker supply is concerned, "today one tanker costs Rs 350 and if a family consumes an average of 500 litres per day, every house has to pay almost Rs 500 per month for water alone," rues A V Subhramanya, a resident of Dharti Complex, Mira Road (East). "Over and above, MBMC collects hefty municipal tax, education tax and tree tax. Average monthly payment works out to anywhere between Rs 125 to Rs 275 depending on the area of the house," he adds.

But what are these taxes after all for? The roads are in a bad shape (reportedly there was an accident daily near Sheetal Nagar) andthere's no drainage system to name of -- most of the builders have connected septic tanks to the gutters which, as a result, overflow 365 days a year. Hussain maintains that the area's topography has also contributed to the drainage problem. As the actual land level is the same as that of high tide level, the drains and sewers get clogged with Sector 2 and 4 and parts of Sector 5 in Shanti Nagar being below the road level, water stagnates in ground floor flats and shops here for days. The only solution is underground drainage system. "The council is surveying the area for solutions," says Hussain in a bid to explain. Better late than never!

For now, Mira Road residents see only one solution to their woes. The general suggestion is that a commencement certificate shouldn't be issued unless the builder provides the amenities promised in the brochure. The BSES, according to residents, should also give power connection only if the builder has the commencement certificate. And if there's neither electricity norwater, occupation certificates shouldn't be issued.

In response, Shinde maintains: "MBMC issues commencement certificates on the basis of the plan submitted. While we can't stop issuing occupation certificates because there's no municipal water supply, it's been two years that we stopped issuing commencement certificate." But the notice to Dharti Complex that it is an unauthorised construction has come as a bolt. For, the residents were issued the occupation certificate in March this year. "The notice, besides asking for an exorbitant municipal tax, includes one per cent tree tax also. This is when there's no tree either in our compound or on the road," complains a resident.

Beena Menon, convenor of Mira Road Area Committee of National Society of the Friends of the Trees, says: "Since last monsoon, we haven't got a single sapling from MBMC and for 400 trees there are only ten tree guards. Also, there have been several instances of residents cutting trees and they are not even aware that it is an offence."Shinde, on the other hand, maintains: "We have just formed Tree Authority and Menon is one of its member. Things will be better now."

Menon also pointed out the passive role of MBMC in the FTO's anti-plastic drive by saying that MBMC has so far allowed them to use only its name on the posters.