Nagpur (PTI): Mumbai is receiving a partially inadequate water supply, with its daily requirement often exceeding the available reservoir storage, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the state assembly on Wednesday.

Rapid population growth, large-scale housing projects and ongoing infrastructure development work have led to a continuous rise in water demand in Mumbai, he said in a written reply during the question hour.

Shinde was responding to a query raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Sunil Prabhu in the state assembly on inadequate water supply in Mumbai.

The water stock available in the seven reservoirs supplying drinking water to Mumbai stood at around 92 per cent as on November 15, the deputy CM said.

On Prabhu's query that Mumbai's water demand remains between 4,500 and 4,600 million litres per day (MLD), Shinde informed the House that, considering the population of the metropolis, its requirement is 4,665 MLD.

He said the municipal administration decides the quantum of water supply after assessing the availability in dams and the projected demand every year after the monsoon. 

In some instances, water supply pressure drops in elevated areas and at the tail end of the distribution network, he added.

On long-term solutions, Shinde said work on the Gargai water supply project, proposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, has been taken up. The primary engineering works are in the final stage and the tendering process for the project is currently underway, he added.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Ahmedabad (PTI): Suryakumar Yadav was cheeky and sarcastic at the same time when the inevitable query on Abhishek Sharma's hattrick of ducks came up ahead of India's T20 World Cup game against South Africa on Sunday.

"About Abhishek's form, I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek's form. I worry about them. Why are they so worried about Abhishek's form?" Surya, the protective skipper, who walks the talk when it comes to team ethos "All For one and One For All", said dismissing the query like his customary 'Supla' shot.

"Last year, Abhishek covered for all of us. Now it is our duty to cover for him," said Surya, with an obvious reference to his own wretched form that continued for last one year."

For world's No 1 ranked T20 batter Abhishek, the skipper was ready to go that extra mile for what all his junior teammate achieved in the one year run-up to the World Cup.

"But I think about those teams who are going to play against him. That he has not yet scored a run. You know the rest of the answers. When he scores a run, you have seen what happens. It happens, it's a team sport, it keeps going on."

Abhishek has been dismissed by off-spinner in successive games trying to slog and the skipper is least bothered about the type of bowling that's getting him out or the manner of dismissal.

For Surya, important point is to see Abhishek playing his natural attacking game, hell or high water.

"Our team requires a certain kind of game from Abhishek and he is trying to play in that manner. We never want him to lose his identity. If his method doesn't work, we are there to cover for him," Surya said.

During South Africa's practice session on Friday, skipper Aiden Markram, who bowls off-breaks, was seen trying to bowl keeping two cones one on off stick and one on the leg stick. It was an effort to keep it within line of three stumps.

This is a ploy that has given both Salman Ali Agha and Aryan Dutt success against Abhishek.

"Whether they put off-spinners or left-arm spinners, we have played so much cricket, I think everyone is well equipped. You won't get a rough patch even if an off-spinner bowls in first two overs. We play franchise cricket, domestic cricket. In that, off-spinners also bowl with the new ball so many times to the left-handers."

The skipper said that it is imperative to have one's own gameplan.

"Everyone has their own game plan of how to play and who to play. At that time, if the team has a requirement to play shots and make runs, then we will make runs against off-spinners also. But as I said, everyone has their own game plan."