Ahmedabad civic body offers its staff, visitors murky water to drink!

Every year, come summer, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) exhorts people to drink only safe and clean drinking water. But it is not practising what it preaches. The AMC offices, which get hundreds of visitors daily, have sub-standard drinking water on offer.

A shocking discovery on Friday revealed that the drinking water, dispensed by almost all the water coolers of AMC's Danapith office, was discoloured and non-potable. After receiving a visitor's complaint, DNA conducted a surprise inspection of six water coolers located on various floors of the old AMC building.

This structure adjoins the new Sardar Patel Bhavan, where officials like the mayor, commissioner, deputy municipal commissioners, standing committee chairperson, and other AMC top brass hold office. Following the disconcerting spurt in jaundice cases within the last two months, the AMC has advised citizens to keep water storage areas clean and avoid roadside drinks as shopkeepers use unhygienic ice.  AMC has employed various mediums like leaflets and hoardings to get the message across.

However, AMC overlooked its own backyard. In a secret investigation, DNA found layers of dirt mixed with water in almost all the coolers. It was also found that some coolers are rusting and this rust mixes with the water being served to the public. This clearly shows the lack of seriousness of the AMC officials, who are compromising the health of the people on their own premises.

The old building houses the estate TDO department, birth and death registration department, tax collection centre, drawing and mapping department and other important wings of the AMC. This edifice is the hub for hundreds of city-dwellers to get certificates, registrations, or to get their queries answered.

AMC has provided six water coolers, geared with RO (reverse osmosis) purifying systems, on five of its six floors for the almost 300 employees and hundreds of daily visitors thronging the building.