Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Angry residents of Devgiri and Chhatrapati Colonies in the Mukundwadi area staged a protest in front of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) headquarters, demanding their rightful water supply on Wednesday. The area resonated with loud slogans.
The agitators pointed out that CIDCO sold plots to them more than two decades ago. Since then they have been living here after building houses on these plots. However, these settlements have not received any basic amenities to date. A 250mm diameter water pipeline was laid for the colony, but the water was diverted elsewhere.
The CIDCO administration sold over 300 plots in Survey No. 17/22 through a lottery system. Plot numbers 1 to 89 are in Chhatrapati Colony, while the remaining plots form Devgiri Colony. It has been 23 years since these settlements were established, yet CIDCO has not provided any basic facilities. After 2006, CIDCO handed over responsibilities to the municipal corporation, but it also failed to provide basic amenities to them.
CIDCO laid a 250mm diameter water pipeline for these settlements, but the water is being redirected to others near the Santoshimatanagar DP. This diversion has been done without any permission from the municipal corporation.
Under the leadership of Adv Milind Patil, the residents held a strike in front of the CSMC headquarters, demanding their rightful water supply. Women participated by banging pots and shouting slogans. Former Corporator Bhausaheb Jagtap supported the protest. Besides, MP Kalyan Kale wrote a letter to the CSMC administrator, urging him to resolve the water issue on priority.