Ahmedabad, May 12 (IANS): The Ahmedabad police have detained members of the Congress for protesting at the Municipal Commissioner's bungalow. They were protesting against 'ill-planned' drinking water distribution in the city.

Congress' Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation, Shehzadkhan Pathan, and his team members reached the residence of Lochan Sehra, Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), with buckets, towels and brush. They were protesting against 'poor' water distribution in some parts of the city, alleging that water pipes are leaking in some areas, resulting in wastage of water.

Pathan told mediapersons that people are complaining to the councillors that they are getting inadequate drinking water, whereas in some parts water is stolen from the pipelines by some powerful people, and all this is happening right under the ruling party's nose.

The Congress members claimed they raised the issue with the concerned authorities and the ruling party members, but no action has been taken so far to resolve the matter.

That is why the Congress workers decided to protest at the Commissioner's residence, Pathan said.

Navrangpura police detained more than 15 councillors who were later released.

In 2016-17, Ahmedabad city's water consumption was 704 million litres a day (MLD), which has doubled in the past six years, touching 1,450 MLD in 2021-22. The municipal corporation is spending Rs 226 crore annually against its water tax collection of Rs 176 crore.

According to sources in the municipal body, it is paying Rs 225 crore to the government for supply of water from Narmada and other sources. There is a contract between the state and the municipal corporation according to which, the corporation pays Rs 4.18 per 1,000 litres to the state.