Ahmedabad: An RTI reply that raised questions over Ahmedabad civic body’s records of water-tank cleaning has now acquired fresh significance after suspected human bones were found in one of the underground tanks in Asarwa. The remains were discovered months after the corporation told an RTI activist that it did not have information about bills or payments made to the agency assigned to clean the ward’s four water distribution tanks.A routine cleaning of an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) water tank turned alarming last Wednesday when suspected human bones were found inside the underground tank at the Asarwa village pumping station. Cleaning of the 80 lakh litre tank was initiated following 10 days of complaints from residents about foul-smelling water.
Bones found during cleaning of the water tank at Asarwa Village Pumping Station
The suspected remains were removed in the presence of police and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to determine whether they are human or animal bones.RTI activist Santoshsingh Rathod said he had sought details from AMC about water distribution tanks in Asarwa ward. “In its reply dated Feb 13 this year, the civic body said the ward had four such tanks and that Krunal Builders had been assigned the task of cleaning them,” Rathod said.Rathod had also sought copies of bills submitted by the agency for the cleaning work and details of payments made to it. “AMC replied that it did not have the information. Such information would not be unavailable if the cleaning work had been carried out and payments made,” Rathod said.AMC sources said the civic body issued a notice to the contractor responsible for cleaning the tank. “An internal inquiry revealed that the tank was last cleaned in Feb 2025,” an AMC official said.The official added that the FSL report on the remains is expected in about a fortnight.
