KALYAN: Facing mounting concerns over water scarcity across Kalyan-Dombivli and its adjoining 27 villages, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Commissioner Abhinav Goel has announced plans to release a white paper addressing the issue. The announcement was made during the general body meeting held on Monday.Highlighting the severity of the problem, particularly during the summer months, Goel said the white paper would outline the current situation, challenges, and proposed measures to tackle water shortages in the region.As part of immediate action, the civic body will intensify its crackdown on illegal water connections. Special teams will be deployed at ward level to identify and disconnect unauthorised tap connections. The commissioner also urged citizens to cooperate with the administration in this drive. Strict action will be taken against service centres, including vehicle washing units, found operating with illegal water connections.The civic administration will also focus on detecting and plugging leakages in water pipelines. Areas receiving contaminated water due to damaged pipelines will be identified, and urgent repairs will be undertaken. In regions such as Bhopar and other villages, where water pressure remains low, efforts are underway to improve supply. A recent meeting with MIDC officials was held to address this concern.Currently, around 55 to 66 million litres per day (MLD) of water is supplied to the 27 villages. The administration is working to increase this quota to 105 MLD. Additionally, a detailed report on damaged pipelines will be prepared to expedite repair work.To fast-track urgent water-related projects, corporators have been asked to submit proposals worth Rs 10–15 lakh from their allocated funds. The administration has assured swift approvals to ensure timely execution of such works.The water crisis also dominated discussions in the general body meeting, with corporators from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), BJP, Uddhav Sena, MNS and Congress strongly criticising the administration. They questioned the relevance of smart city projects when basic necessities such as water remain unmet.In a notable remark, Mayor Harshali Chaudhari admitted that even her ward is facing water shortages. “Citizens question us about water supply, and I myself am facing the same issue,” she said, directing officials to ensure that residents do not suffer due to water scarcity.The mayor instructed the administration to take immediate steps to resolve the crisis and provide relief to citizens at the earliest.

THANE The Thane police have booked a former senior official of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for allegedly raping a 31-year-old woman repeatedly over a three-year period between 2020 and 2023.The official has also been accused by the survivor of extortion and using black magic to intimidate her by taking her to astrologer Ashok Kharat’s premises in Nashik, said a police officer. Kharat has been arrested in several cases of sexual assault and fraud.According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the woman, her ordeal began in 2020 while she was employed as a contractual data entry operator with the TMC.The complainant alleged that the senior official exploited his influential position to lure her to a rented apartment in an upscale residential complex in Thane. “During one of their initial meetings, she has stated, the official spiked her drink with a sedative, rendering her unconscious before sexually assaulting her,” said a police officer.To ensure that the woman did not speak up, the accused allegedly filmed the act on his mobile phone and used the footage as leverage, threatening to upload it to social media platforms if she did not continue to comply with his demands, the police officer said.The woman’s statement details a pattern of abuse, with the official taking her to various locations between 2020 and 2023, the officer said.According to police, the woman has described how she was allegedly taken to Nashik on the pretext of a visit to “a renowned astrologer, Captain Ashok Kharat.” The complainant alleged that the ex-official forced her to participate in superstitious rituals involving lemons and “specific charms” at the astrologer’s office, claiming these practices were necessary for her future well-being.The police have registered the case under Indian Penal Code sections related to rape, criminal intimidation, and administration of drugs with the intent to commit a crime.While the FIR has been lodged, the former municipal official has not been taken into custody yet.Senior officials said the probe has been handed over to the Thane crime branch, which has launched an investigation to verify electronic evidence and trace the movements of the accused.