Civic body reverts to old system

After HT recently reported that the local municipal corporation had been supplying un-chlorinated water to various villages, the civic body has gone back to the old system of using bleaching powder for chlorination of water.

Last week, the MC floated tenders for buying chlorine gas and invited quotations for buying the bleaching powder.

Around Rs 45 lakh has been wasted as the public health department of the municipal corporation has failed to maintain the 50 chlorinators installed at various tube wells.

Lives of around 50,000 people who get the un-chlorinated water supply have been endangered.
According to the MC record, most of the chlorinators were installed in 2010; later, an inquiry was also marked about verifying the quality of the product.

The record says that the agency that installed the chlorinators failed to maintain them. The company was to maintain them for two years, but the MC did not take action against them.
On April 4, HT had highlighted how the MC was supplying un-chlorinated water from tube wells as chlorinators installed on these tube wells had not been functioning for months. The residents in these colonies get drinking water only from the tube wells.

HT also found that the MC had defused 50 gas cylinders installed with the chlorinators in October 2010 following a snag in the chlorination system, causing a loss of Rs 3 lakh to the civic body. After that the gas cylinders were never re-filled.

MC deputy mayor Satish Kainth said, "I have taken up the matter with the authorities concerned and they have ensured proper maintenance and supply of chlorinated water.

Executive engineer, division number 3, public health department, MC, Anil Bansal said, "I am not aware whether the defused cylinders have been refilled or not. I will look into it." When asked why no action had been taken against the company that was to maintain the chlorinators, he said they had terminated their contract. He refused to speak on why the gas cylinders were defused.