Bhopal civic body to probe 'safer water for politicians, VIPs in city' issue

Days after Hindustan Times reported that Bhopal politicians and VIPS get 'safer' water than residents, Congress corporator raised the "surprising" issue at a special session of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday.

Congress corporator Amit Sharma said: "This is quite surprising that the BMC is supplying two types of water in the city. For VVIPs, including chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BMC is using sodium hypochlorite as disinfectant while for the 90% population of the city, the civic body is using chlorine as disinfectant."

"The BMC is concerned only about VVIPs' health. It is spending Rs 2 lakh in purchasing a ton sodium hypochlorite for Shyamla Hill's water treatment plant which is 10 times of amount of purchase of chlorine used for other plants. This is injustice with the people and the mayor should do something in this regard," he said.

Congress corporator Girish Sharma also showed surprise over the BMC's works.

Sharma said: "How can the BMC supply two types of water in the city? Bhopal is a gas-affected area and if the civic body really wants to provide safe water, it should have been to the gas-affected area and not the Shyamla Hills."

Mayor Alok Sharma replied: "I was not aware of the fact. After holding a discussion with BMC engineers and officers, I would look into the matter."

BMC chairperson Surjeet Singh Chouhan said, "I asked officers to hold an inquiry into the issue of giving VIP treatment to a particular area."

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: "I would have to check the matter before I comment on it. Prima facie, such a discrimination does not seem probable. Yet, I would get the matter checked."