‘Restore Kalina water supply at once or face suspension’
Taps have been dry for 20 consecutive days in the two villages, affecting over three lakh residents, mainly senior citizens.
Mumbai: The H East ward’s assistant municipal commissioner has ordered the assistant engineer of the waterworks department to restore the water supply of aggrieved residents of Kolivery and Kalina villages within three days, failing which he faces immediate suspension.
Taps have been dry for 20 consecutive days in the two villages, affecting over three lakh residents, mainly senior citizens. While water shortage is a long-standing issue in this area with only intermittent supply, residents allege the current dire situation is on account of lower-rung BMC officials tampering with the water valves and diverting the water supply to the newly constructed towers in the area.
In a public grievances meeting held on Monday, Swapnaja Kshirsagar, assistant commissioner, H East ward said, “I have told the assistant engineer to resolve the issue in three days or face suspension. These residents told me that there are chaabiwallas (keymakers) who tamper with valves. This will be verified by our ward executive.” Kshirsagar also reportedly cancelled the leave of the officials from the water department.
Hindustan Times was the first to report on the plight of the residents and how the meagre water supply to the neighbourhoods was not new but was exacerbated by the 15 percent water cut and the coming up of new highrises in the neighbourhood.
Mary D’Souza of Kalina village said that residents were assured they would get water for an hour on Tuesday but the BMC failed to keep its promise. “Senior citizens with health issues sit up till 2 am waiting for water,” she said. “There is no fixed timing. Several senior citizens have serious health issues but are forced to stay awake and go through this suffering. This is mental torture and a health hazard. Forget about there being no water for 20 days, our real problem has started with the new highrises that have come up.”
D’Souza outlined the alleged modus operandi of the water-diverters. “The water valves are tampered with by chaabiwallahs at the behest of the assistant engineer from the ward’s water department,” she said. “They deprive us of water and divert our water to buildings without an occupation certificate, and then advise us to pay for new lines. This is a money-making racket like the tanker lobby.”
D’Souza, who along with other residents met Kshirsagar to complain about the assistant engineer (AE) of the water works department, said, “We told her of the illegal lines given out in the ward. Since this was an old problem, the AE was pulled up. Kshirsagar told the AE that he would be suspended if the water issue was not resolved. Even the leave taken by the officials has been revoked until such time as the issue is resolved.”
Lorraine Mendonza, another resident of Kolivery village in Kalina, said that residents’ clothes remain unwashed on account of there being no water supply for 20 consecutive days. “We have learnt that a booster pump has been installed for a building, and our water gets diverted there,” she said.
Sabitha C, another resident of the village, said that a few locals had tampered with the valve without BMC officials being present or without notifying residents who shared the water connection. “When we complained, the civic officials, instead of holding the locals responsible, justified their actions,” she said. “On whose authority were locals allowed to operate the valves and tamper with the water connection? There is a clear nexus between chaabiwallahs, officials and some locals to divert our water supply.”
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.