Housing societies’ effort to save water hits tanker demand on Holi

“Last year,we supplied close to 400 tankers in a day in Dadar and Mahim,but this year the demand was only 39 tankers,” he said.

Elton Fernandes of ESW Water Tankers and Suppliers in Bandra said the demand Wednesday was the same as any other day. “There was definitely a drop in demand. Around 15-20 tankers carrying 10,000 litres each were sent to residential areas and construction sites. This is standard demand on any day,” he said.

Shriprakash Malpani of Malpani Suppliers,which operates in and around Worli,Dadar and Mahim,said: “There was a good 95 per cent drop in demand this year. Usually on Holi,we have orders for around 20 tankers. This year,only a couple of tankers have been sent out.”

330 held for driving under influence of liquor

Continuing its annual crackdown against drink driving on Holi,the Mumbai Traffic Police arrested 330 offenders till 6 pm on Wednesday. Last year,the traffic police arrested 483 people until 6 pm on the second day of Holi for driving under the influence of alcohol. While traffic officials did not rule that out that the number might rise,Brijesh Singh,Additional Commissioner of Police,Traffic,said: “It is not a question of figures. It is about getting the message across that people should not be driving under the influence of alcohol. Every year,it is a small percentage that is caught.” Vivek Phansalkar,Joint Commissioner of Police,Traffic,said: “We have deployed nearly 150 traffic policemen at 25 points across the city. There has been no incident today and traffic has been low.”

Poisoning cases

Seven students of Institute of Chemical Technology,Matunga,were admitted to Sion Hospital Wednesday as they took ill after consuming spurious bhang. “All of them were vomiting,but they are fine now,” said Nivedita Moulick,acting dean of the hospital. An institute official,however,said: “There was no bhang on campus,the students were overexerted.”