Wadi still wandering for water
| Date :20-May-2019 |
This is how the residents of Ambedkar Nagar struggle to satisfy their basic need of water in Wadi area. Long queue of drums waiting says it all about the working of Wadi Municipal Council which is providing water through tankers in the area. Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran is supplying water from Ambazari lake still scene remains same in Wadi.
By Kaushik Bhattacharya:
Instead of 22 MLD, getting only 10 MLD from Ambazari lake
The water crisis in Wadi area is still going on as major parts of water supplying to Ordnance Factory Ambajhari estate (OFAJ). Maharashtra Jivan Pradhikaran (MJP) has started supplying 10 MLD water daily to Wadi and OFAJ from Ambazari lake. Earlier, MJP used to supply 22 MLD daily from Vena dam to OFAJ, Wadi and Dawlameti. However, as the dam has gone dry, it is supplying only 10 MLD. Keeping the water scarcity in mind, Wadi Municipal Council (WMC) has started water supply through tankers. Even then, colonies like Navneet Nagar, Aathwa Mile, Dawlameti, Ambedkar Nagar and Wardhamna are still not getting water. These areas are getting water supply after every four days.
The residents are preferring to store water that they are getting after every four days. The crisis also increased the illegal water pumping in Wadi area. Ambazari lake contains C-Grade water which is hazardous for direct consumption. Hence, MJP is using chlorine at the treatment plant to undo the effect of pollution. Due to high chlorine level, residents who are getting water from Ambazari lake treating it as non-consumable. MJP is supplying this 10 MLD water to 7,000 families of OFAJ and Wadi area. The laying of new pipeline from Wadi to Vena dam is still under construction which also restricted the water supply from the dam.
The existing pipeline is now in a dilapidated condition with numerous leakage. The administrations have to complete the work of new pipeline before the monsoon then just the situation of water crisis likely to reduce. Along with OFAJ and Wadi, the dams also provide water to Kalmeshwar MIDC, Hingna MIDC, Digdo and Nildo areas. However, the other parts are also facing the same water crisis from the beginning of the summer.
OFAJ estate normally cater the demand of water from their artificial reservoirs constructed in the estate. But, this time they also taste the water crisis due to reduced water level in Vena dam. OFAJ have their own Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and they treat water and use it for domestic use except drinking purpose. Keeping the severe water shortage in mind, Ministry of Defence released Rs 9.5 crore to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to construct pipeline from Ambazari lake to Vena STP. The project completed in a record time but still the efforts not fulfilling the demand of every individual of Wadi area.