As Water Tanker Strike Stirs Up A Crisis, BMC Invokes Disaster Management Act: What It Means

Amid Mumbai's water crisis, BMC invoked the Disaster Management Act to requisition all private tankers, wells, and borewells from April 15, with strict SOPs issued.

The BMC is now set to requisition all the water tankers as well as water wells and borewells in Mumbai.

Source : PTI

Amid the escalating water crisis in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has invoked the Disaster Management Act, 2005, with the civic body now set to requisition all the water tankers as well as water wells and borewells in Mumbai, starting April 15. This allows them to take action against their owners if they refuse.

The Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) is opposing a notice issued by the BMC to private well owners who provide water to tankers in the city. As per the civic body’s new directive, these well owners must obtain a license from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) before they can continue supplying water.

According to The Indian Express, due to the crisis, on Sunday, the civic body also released a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlining guidelines for all stakeholders, including residential societies and civic officials.

Bhushan Gagrani, BMC commissioner and state-appointed administrator, confirmed these developments and said that the order to take the necessary control of the privately owned tankers and borewells will be in effect from Tuesday and will be implemented in coordination with the RTO and the police department.

“As long as the strike is on, we will take control of all private supply and will be requisitioning control of all the tankers under the disaster management act, which empowers the commissioner to do requisition of any place or thing which is necessary for public convenience whenever there is a disaster-like situation,” Gagrani was quoted by The Indian Express. He further said that the order of requisition will remain in place until the strike is called off.

This marks the first instance of the BMC invoking the Act—typically reserved for natural disasters—in a situation like this, driven by concerns that the unavailability of non-potable water could strain the drinking water supply. Officials noted that with summer setting in, increased reliance on potable water might accelerate the depletion of existing reserves.

Currently, BMC supplies 3,900 million litres per day (MLD) of drinking water to the city, with private tankers contributing an additional 200 MLD, according to The Times Of India.

The city's dependence on private water tankers has steadily grown, particularly in newly developed localities where BMC’s water supply remains inadequate. These tankers usually serve high-demand establishments such as star hotels, large residential societies, malls, and food courts. With the current strike disrupting even these alternate sources, there is growing concern over how it will affect daily water availability across various parts of the city.

Fadnavis' Directions 

Earlier in the week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Commissioner of the civic body to take swift and effective measures to address the issue. CM Devendra Fadnavis has instructed officials to resolve the water crisis in Mumbai at the earliest.

He stated, “The strike by tanker drivers has led to water shortages in some areas. Considering the ongoing heat, this issue cannot be allowed to persist. I have asked the Municipal Commissioner to find a balanced solution that addresses both the new regulations and the concerns of the drivers, ensuring the public remains unaffected.”

The indefinite strike called by the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) continued, in protest to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) notices issued over the past few weeks which called several operators of ring-well and borewells to either cease supply of water to tankers or obtain a fresh license from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).