Mumbai, Apr 11 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday demanded that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervene to end the ongoing strike of the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) and resolve the “water crisis” in the city.

The state government should convey the association’s concerns to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and ask it to amend its “impractical rules”, he said, warning of a protest if a solution was not found within 48 hours.

“The chief minister should intervene in the matter and talk to the water tanker association so as to deal with the water crisis in the city,” said Thackeray, a former minister who represents the Worli assembly seat in south Mumbai.

The MWTA on Thursday suspended supply in the city indefinitely to protest the civic body’s notices to the owners of private wells which supply water to tankers.

Owners of around 1,800 registered tankers are affiliated to MWTA. These tankers supply around 350 Megaliters per Day (MLD) water to different parts of the city, including upscale south Mumbai.

Authorities have made it mandatory for well owners to provide proof of lease or ownership, install digital water flow meter and obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Central Ground Water Authority, among other things.

Thackeray, meanwhile, also hit out at the BJP-led Maharashtra government for unpaid salaries of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees. PTI PR KRK