The water works office at Mahendra Nagar Elevated Storage Reservoir (ESR) was ransacked by an agitated mob on Saturday, following inadequate supply of water to several areas in Garib Nawaz ward.
The mob comprised a large number of women led by Shiv Sena corporator Bandu Talwekar.There have been over half-a-dozen incidents of such protests in the last 25 days, with public representatives leading irate citizens over poor water supply. Such disruptions have taken place at ESRs of Reshimbagh, Sugat Nagar, Wanjari Nagar, etc.
If corporators from both ruling and opposition parties are to be believed, these incidents are the fallout of mismanagement of water tankers by private operator Orange City Water (OCW).
BJP corporator from Bharat Nagar Pradip Pohane, who is also chairman of Lakadganj zone, blamed OCW for the mess. He said that the private firm has no control over the tanker operators, so drivers are supplying water as per their whims and fancy.
Pohane and another BJP corporator recently stormed the OCW office at Lakadganj ESR and manhandled the staff present there.
Another incident took place at Reshimbagh ESR, when an angry mob of Medical College ward led by Congress corporator Yogesh Tiwari stopped the hydrant to protest erratic water supply.
Leader of opposition in NMC Vikas Thakre described the incidents as "spontaneous anger" of residents against the civic body. "We are demanding that they ensure regular drinking water supply to Nagpurians, after suffering for over three months. It is not only Congress ruled wards, but other wards represented by BJP corporators are also not getting adequate water. We depend on private water tankers, for which we have to shell out large amounts of money every alternate day," he said.
Tanker drivers charging money!
Shiv Sena corporator Suresh Talwekar, who had a heated argument with tankers drivers, said the residents are supposed to get water free of cost. But tanker drivers were charging money from residents. "Across colonies in North Nagpur, people claim that getting a tanker to visit their home is not only difficult, but virtually impossible without money changing hands," he alleged.
In Garib Nawaz Nagar, angry residents told him that water is sold for Rs50 per household by the tankers, and if people refuse to pay, then tankers do not show up for a couple of days.
On being told about this, senior Shiv Sena corporators went to Mahendra Nagar water tank and asked tankers drivers whether the allegations were true. "Soon it turned into a heated argument, and Sena corporator threatened them with dire consequences," confirmed a resident, requesting anonymity.
After this, the tanker drivers went on a flash strike and as a result people residing in Mahendra Nagar, Vaishali Nagar, Garib Nawaz Nagar etc faced hardship in getting even a pot full of water in the morning hours.
Corporators' interference deprive public of water
In a press communique, Orange City Water (OCW) Private Limited, said it is facing interference and at times violent disruptions by corporators at various places while performing its day to day operations.
This interference is seen especially while managing water supply through tankers. OCW is not allowed to work as per its standard procedures, and staff have been manhandled, foul language used, and property damaged, it said. OCW also pointed out that its property has been set ablaze a few times.
"Due to this, the supply of water through tankers get affected in areas getting water through ESRs, as many of the tankers and staff members do not turn up for regular duties. Thus, regular trips of tankers are affected," it said.
Such disruptions have been reported at ESRs of Reshimbagh, Sugat Nagar, Wanjari Nagar, etc, due to which residents in the area had to go without water. Such cases not only cause losses but affect the common man most, because such interference is usually done to get water supply for one area while many other parts of the city are adversely affected, OCW said.
"If all citizens and corporators decide to cooperate, water problems of the public due to summers can be brought down and water supply system can be run smoothly," the OCW statement added.
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