Panaji, Jul 10 (IANS): Mumbai's plans to spend hundreds of crores on sea water desalinisation projects and pumping excess rainwater into the sea was a sheer waste of money, according to India's largest packaged drinking water manufacturer.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference here, Ramesh Chauhan, chairman of Bisleri International which manufactures Bisleri packaged drinking water, said Mumbai could counter its water woes by recharging the city's 20,000 wells alone.

"Mumbai is spending nearly Rs.100 crore on pumping rainwater into the sea to prevent flooding and they are again spending million of rupees on desalinization projects," said Chauhan who was in Goa to inaugurate a rain water harvesting project.

"There are 20,000 wells in Mumbai. If they alone are recharged with rainwater, it would work wonders for the city," Chauhan said, adding that the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) decision to close the wells was short-sighted.

Chauhan also said that the 129 lakes which dot Mumbai should be handed over to corporate houses to be maintained as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).

"These lakes are extremely useful to charge ground water. Mumbai must look at ways like this to tap the millions of litres of rain water, which flows into the sea," Chauhan.