More than 1600 residents of JB Nagar in Andheri (east) ushered the New Year with various diseases. For, every household tap in the area has been spouting brown murky water, stinking of sewage.
MUMBAI: More than 1600 residents of JB Nagar in Andheri (east) ushered the New Year with various diseases. For, every household tap in the area has been spouting brown murky water, stinking of sewage.
Residents of over 20 buildings in the area have been getting water mixed with muck and human excreta over the past five days. And the water is coming from the municipal supply lines.
“I have been getting cramps in my stomach, a persistent headache and giddiness since the morning. I am the only one in my family who is yet to see a doctor. Everyone else, including my husband, two daughters, and in-laws, have been to the doctor. My nine-year-old daughter has had to skip school because of the illness,” said Kamini Lonkar, a resident of Rita Villa building. All the flats in the building are getting water mixed with sewage.
Joseph John, a resident of the same building, who is down with food poisoning for the past five days said, “I remember opening the tap in the morning to find stinking water mixed with muck coming out. There was a film of white foam on the surface, once the water was collected in a bucket. It seemed like I was standing in front of a gutter. Now, the water is clearer, but still not fit to use — not even for bathing.”
Water purifiers and filters have stopped working in several houses. Aruna Reejsinghani, living in Srinivas Cooperative Housing Society, said, “I even tried boiling the water repeatedly; but it was of no use. I have been cooking with mineral water and getting water from the neighbouring building, which gets water from a different pipeline, for bathing and washing.
But the problem is not new to the area. In June 2005, residents had faced the same problem and it was found that a leakage in one of the water pipes led the water to mix with sewage from the adjacent storm-water drains.
“Most storm-water drains in the area are clogged with sewage from the buildings and solid-waste dumped by hawkers. I’ve made repeated complaints to the authorities but the problem persists,” said James John, an AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking in India) activist living in the area.
Assistant executive engineer, water works for the K-east ward, Srikant Godbole said,
“I am aware of the problem and understand the plight of the residents of JB Nagar. We haven’t been able to correct the problem till now because all our staff is busy fixing a water pipeline outside the Holy Spirit Hospital, Mahakali Caves.
The pipeline supplies water to adjoining areas in Vile Parle and Andheri (east). Identifying the spots where there’s leakage and sewage is mixing with tap water is a long task and will take some time.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}