NMMC notice to change water meters set aside

Navi Mumbai: The general body has set aside the civic administration’s notice asking those with water pipeline measuring more than 20mm in diameter to install automatic meters within 7 days.NMMC had issued the notice on August 24, saying the change was necessary to acquire appropriate water consumption reading.Corporator Netra Shirke questioned the basis for the NMMC notice. She questioned the need for getting the water meters changed when the existing ones were functioning perfectly.“Within my ward there are water pipelines measuring between 28mm to 50mm. So the notice has caused major chaos among the residents, primarily because the meters have been working absolutely fine,” the corporator said.The administration was showing unnecessary haste by giving just a week’s time, Shirke said.The Navi Mumbai civic body also did not take the general body into confidence before issuing the notice, the corporator added.“How does the administration expect all the meters to be changed in just seven days. Besides, no intimation was also given to the general body about issuing such a notice,” Shirke complained. She added that the automatic meters specified in the notice are also very expensive and no thought was given by the civic body about looking for an alternative.In the wake of these objections, mayor Sudhakar Sonawane has ordered that the notification be set aside.“The way in which the notice was issued is itself objectionable. The administration cannot act on its whims and issue notices that create confusion. The said notice has been set aside and it has been instructed that no such changes need to be incorporated,” Sonawane said.