NAVI MUMBAI, Oct. 25 -- The water crisis in Navi Mumbai's CIDCO nodes has escalated into a political flashpoint, with Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur demanding that no new housing projects be cleared until adequate water supply is ensured-a demand earlier raised by the Kharghar and Taloja Cooperative Housing Societies Federation as well. In a strongly worded representation to CIDCO vice-chairman and managing director Vijay Singhal, Thakur said that commencement and occupation certificates (CC/OC) for new projects must be withheld as long as existing residents had to struggle for basic water. The BJP strongman warned that if the situation persisted, he would be compelled to lead a mass agitation along with citizens. Thakur alleged that despite heavy rainfall this year and dams filled to capacity, residents in Kharghar, Kamothe, New Panvel and Taloja continued to face shortages. He accused officials of the water supply department of failing to take the issue seriously, leaving citizens to suffer even during the festive season. "Every year, water supply is disrupted during festivals. This raises doubts whether some officials are deliberately putting citizens in distress," he said. He further charged that tanker distribution was arbitrary, with supply decided at the discretion of officials rather than on actual need. "If CIDCO wants to be called the architect of cities, its primary responsibility is to provide adequate and regular water supply. It is extremely shameful that CIDCO is unable to provide water to the citizens under its jurisdiction," Thakur added. The MLA's warning comes against the backdrop of repeated complaints from residents. Earlier this year, the Federation representing 505 housing societies had submitted a list of 125 societies facing 30-50% shortages, pointing out that the daily requirement of Kharghar and Taloja was 100 MLD, while supply was only 82 MLD. With 5 MLD earmarked for the airport, the shortfall only worsened. Residents had also expressed fears that the situation would deteriorate further as CIDCO continued to sell land to developers and clear high-rise projects, including nearly 200 towers of 40 to 50 storeys in Kharghar alone. "Where will they get water from? Our supply is sure to reduce further," said Amit Kumar, secretary of Arihant Krupa society in Sector 27, Kharghar. Federation general secretary Commander (Retd) S H Kalawat warned that with a population of nearly 500,000 already in the housing societies and CIDCO itself constructing 25,000 homes under PMAY, the demand was only rising. "As there are no new dams or projects coming up in the next few years, the Federation has insisted that no CC and OC be issued till adequate supply is made available for Kharghar and Taloja nodes," Kalawat said. At the heart of the crisis lies a staggering 90 MLD deficit. The daily demand across the Panvel and CIDCO nodes has crossed 320 MLD while the supply remains limited to 230 MLD. Many households receive water for barely a few hours a day, forcing heavy reliance on private tankers that add Rs.1,500-Rs.3,000 to monthly expenses. When asked for a comment, a CIDCO spokesperson responded with: "CIDCO consistently prioritises citizen welfare and societal development, ensuring every project is designed with essential infrastructure and amenities."...