Nagpur taps stay dry 72 hours after October 6 shutdown as Pench-4 pipeline work overruns

Anger is growing in Nagpur over repeated water supply shutdowns taken for repair and improvement work. On October 6, supply was shut for 36 hours in some parts of the city and 12 hours in others. Even 72 hours later, supply had not properly resumed in these areas.

Residents across the city are distressed, yet no Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) official has checked on the situation. In many areas people have been forced to leave their homes. In some households, the lack of water has made even using the toilet difficult. Despite the severity of the crisis, no official at the office appeared concerned.

Residents of areas such as Civil Lines, Sitabuldi and Mhalginagar also faced problems. Most parts of the city are in the same state.

Supply was shut to shift a pipeline at the Pench-4 water treatment plant. Supply could not be restarted even after the scheduled 36 hours were over. The work by the World Bank project was not completed on time, which forced the shutdown to be extended. Residents of the affected areas, who are struggling with the water shortage, have borne the direct impact.

The NMC has said that efforts to restore supply in phases will begin from Friday. Mayor Nita Thakre has directed the officials concerned to speed up the work and restore supply as soon as possible. Deputy Mayor Leela Hathibed visited the site late on Thursday evening and inspected the ongoing work.

It is being said in political circles that office-bearers took no action because the model code of conduct for the graduates' constituency election is in force. With no office-bearers acting, officials too did not take the matter seriously. Experts say the code of conduct in any case permits approval of urgent work. What could be more urgent than providing people with water? Even so, public anger was ignored in the name of the code of conduct, and on Thursday people were left entirely at the mercy of God.

According to experts, since the ruling party took charge of the NMC, officials have been acting only on the instructions of office-bearers. Without that, they do not attend even to a problem or a sudden situation.

Sources say that since the entire water supply system was handed to a private company, NMC officials who hold the responsibility of the water supply department in name only are currently at ease. No information is being given, and there is no sign of serious work towards solving the problem. When an official in the department is asked about the real position, the official passes the question on, saying another senior woman officer holds the authority. On approaching the senior woman officer, one is sent straight to the executive engineer. Though the two officials sit in the same room, there appears to be no coordination between them.

Sources also say some part of the city constantly faces a water crisis, and NMC officials are now trying to make this routine. For this reason, officials no longer keep a check on the working of OCW, the company handling water distribution. Councillors have repeatedly expressed sharp anger and regret in NMC meetings, but responsibility has still not actually been fixed on anyone. As a result, the private company is becoming fearless. If it is not checked in time, the city may face a severe water crisis in the coming days, and the state government has also hinted at this.