Failure to provide relief on water by leaders worries citizens

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Last summer, city dwellers were supposed to be provided with an additional quantity of water, but they never received it. As winter comes to an end, the arrival of summer is once again on the horizon, and the possibility of additional water for the city seems uncertain. The water treatment plant for a 900 mm diameter water pipeline, designed to handle 26 MLD has not been completed. The work on the new water supply scheme worth Rs 2,740 crore rupees is not even 74% finished. The trenches have been dug up in the name of laying water pipelines, everywhere in the city, but the task has not been done yet. Citizens are left to endure hardship merely in the name of water. With the assembly elections underway, accusations and counter-accusations are being exchanged, but not a single candidate is willing to speak on the water issue. No one is addressing the question of when the city will actually get water. Everyone remains silent on the matter.

For the past 15 years, the city has been receiving water once a week. The lack of water has stalled the city’s overall development. As much political leverage as could be gained from the water issue, political leaders have done so, yet their thirst for power has remained unquenched. Ordinary citizens still struggle to get water. Despite this, no one has taken any initiative to ensure they get it. With the upcoming general elections, some hopefuls have repeatedly reviewed the water supply scheme, but once the assembly elections arrive, political leaders have completely forgotten about the water issue.

Destruction of Schemes

Former Divisional Commissioner Sunil Kendrekar had planned to address the city's water shortage by laying a 900 mm diameter water pipeline from Jayakwadi to Pharola at an urgent cost of Rs 200 crore, until the completion of the Rs 2,740 crore new water supply scheme. While laying the pipeline, a separate water treatment plant should have been constructed, but instead, the work on it began only after the pipeline was laid and as of today, it has not been completed. The contractor has now set a deadline for February. If this work is completed, the city will receive an additional 26 MLD of water.

Irresponsible Negligence

Work is underway to lay 1,800 km of new water pipelines across the city. At various locations, pits are being dug for the pipelines, but they are not being immediately filled in. These pits remain open for at least 15 days to a month. Even after the pipelines are laid, the soil is not properly filled, leading to further issues with open pits. As a result, citizens are enduring a tremendous amount of inconvenience and hardship.

Main pipeline work incomplete

The work of laying the 39 km long main water pipeline from Jayakwadi to Nakshatrawadi is still incomplete. At various locations, the pipeline has been laid only partially. While 35 km of the pipeline has been completed, the work on the remaining 4 km is still pending. It will take considerable time to complete the work and conduct the necessary testing for the pipeline.

Will the Jackwell work be completed?

The soul of the new water supply scheme is the Jackwell, which is a water lifting station to be built at the Jayakwadi Dam. The construction is only 40% complete. There are claims that water will reach the city by the end of February. However, given the current pace of progress, it seems almost impossible for the work to be completed within the planned time.

Water issue missing in the election campaign

The hustle and bustle of the Assembly elections is currently in full swing. In election speeches, topics such as "Batenge to Katenge", "50 Khoke Ekdam Ok", "Ladli Bahin", "Triple Engine", "Urban Naxalism", "Vote Jihad", "Chaiwala", "Minde Group", "Rickshawala", "Morning Loudspeaker" and even "Dawood Connection" are being raised. However, issues that truly matter to the common people and farmers, like the water supply crisis, are noticeably absent from the election campaigns.

Angry residents claimed that the common man is still waiting to get adequate basic amenities and political leaders least bothered about them. The candidates in the fray should speak on city water supply if they want people’s mandate.