Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The leakages in municipal pipelines are contaminating water being supplied to households in the Karond area. The residents have complained of receiving contaminated water mixed with sewage and mud.
Narmada water is supplied in the area, however, for around the last 10 days the residents are unable to use the dirty, stinking water. Ward no 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79 of zone -17 are the worst affected.
The residents said that the water being supplied is not safe for consumption and so they have to depend on bottled water sourced from markets and other places.
The forceful extraction/drawing of water from the supply lines causes contamination of water, as in this process, impurities in the pipeline network are also pulled in.
Moreover, the breakages in pipelines occur due to heavy traffic and frequent digging. Therefore, impurities, such as mud and sewage, enter the pipelines through the cracks. The presence of mud in piped municipal water is highest during the monsoon due to water logging in areas as mud enters through the cracks in pipelines.
Peeved over the matter, Rani, one of the residents of Rajiv Colony, said, “For the last 10 days, we have been receiving contaminated water. Water supply has been disrupted for the last two days. This is totally mismanagement on the part of BMC” Corporator (ward 78) Mohammed Riaz also voiced concern on the matter.
“Drinking water being supplied in the entire zone is contaminated. Municipal officials are not taking the issue of leakages in pipelines seriously. We have raised the issue many times, but nothing concrete has been done in this regard.”
City engineer water supply Udit Garg said, “We are looking into the matter. We are taking details from corporators and zonal in-charge concerned about the areas where contaminated water is being supplied and the reason behind it.
AEs Fight Over Jurisdiction
The assistant engineers of zone 16 and 17 are passing the buck on each other claiming the area is not under their jurisdiction. Zone-17 AE Pushpendra Rawat claimed Rajiv Nagar comes under the jurisdiction of Zone-16, however, the AE Prafull Gurjar of zone 16 denied it.
