Report questions Mumbai’s claim of safe water coverage

New Delhi, Nov 9: Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the fifth largest city in the world, has some bad news in store. The Human Development Report has questioned its claim of being able to provide a 90% coverage of safe water.

The report has pointed out that about half of Mumbai total population estimated at 18 million, lives in Zopadpattis and their residents do not figure in the municipal data.

The report has indicated that millions of poor people are missing from national statistics. The slum residents in Mumbai, live in environment that poses a daily health threat, the report underlined.

It is estimated that there is only one toilet for every 1,440 people in the city.

Dharavi, a vast slum situated near the international airport, is home to almost one million people.

In the rainy season streets, lacking drainage, becomes channels for filthy water. People in areas like Dharavi rely on wells, tankers or even unsafe sources for their drinking water. In cases of chawls, residents make do with rusting pipes, leaking taps and degraded storage tanks.

“In a typical case, 15 families share one tap that works for two hours a day,” the report added.