The residents of Sector 21 in Gurgaon are facing a severe water crisis, as the health department has officially declared the water supply to the area unfit for human consumption. This development follows months of complaints from the sector’s Resident Welfare Association (RWA) about the deteriorating quality of water, which has been largely ignored by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).
Worsening Water Quality:
For the past four months, residents of Sector 21 have been raising alarms about the inadequate water supply to their area. The situation has drastically worsened over the last three weeks, with reports indicating that the water being supplied is not only muddy but also emits a foul odor reminiscent of sewer sludge.
Despite repeated inspections and assurances from officials, no effective action has been taken to address the issue. Frustrated by the inaction, residents decided to get the water tested independently through the health department. The results were alarming—samples from both individual households and the water boosting station were declared unfit for human consumption, putting thousands of households at risk.
RWA’s Outcry:
KL Sharma, the general secretary of the Sector 21 RWA, expressed the community’s growing concerns: “Results from the water bacteriological lab of the health department have confirmed our fears. The drinking water being supplied to our sector is not safe for human consumption. We have identified choked sewer lines as the likely source of contamination. Despite submitting at least two dozen written requests and holding multiple discussions with senior officials, including the MCG commissioner, chief engineer, and joint commissioner, the proposal to clean the sewer lines remains mired in bureaucratic chain.”
The deteriorating condition of the water boosting station and storage tanks has further exacerbated the residents’ woes. Prakash Lamba, president of the Sector 21 RWA, added: “Nearly nine months ago, we urged MCG to overhaul the water boosting station in our area, but the plan has remained on paper and did not materialize on the ground. Contaminated water supply is a serious risk to the health and well-being of residents, and the civic authorities don’t seem to care about it. There is a systematic failure on the part of both MCG and GMDA to move forward with essential maintenance and infrastructure improvements in the city.”
Authorities’ Response:
In response to the growing outcry, a senior GMDA official downplayed the issue, stating that there is no problem with the quality of water supplied by the authority. “The issue might be with the internal water distribution network, which MCG needs to check and rectify,” the official said.
Manoj Yadav, chief engineer of MCG, claimed that the matter had not been brought to his attention: “There was an issue related to a shortage of supply in the area, and it has been addressed. But no such report has been shared with us. However, I will get it checked,” Yadav added.
Residents Demand Action:
As the water crisis in Sector 21 escalates, residents are demanding immediate action from the authorities to rectify the situation. The health risks associated with contaminated water are too severe to ignore, and the community is calling for urgent intervention to ensure that safe, clean water is restored to their homes.
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