Pune: The years-long saga of water woes for Mohammadwadi, NIBM Road Annexe and parts of Undri was heralded to have ended on May 17, when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated nine overhead tanks in these areas amid a grand ceremony to regularise supply to residents.A few days later, three of the water tanks opposite Dorabjee Paradise bungalow society were inaugurated yet again by former Shiv Sena corporator Pramod Nana Bhangire. Unamused residents said that across the neighbourhoods, the skyline was marred by local netas displaying huge hoardings and banners, racing to claim credit for the southeastern city zone’s water concerns being resolved. However, close to a fortnight after the CM’s ribbon-cutting function, the promise of water flowing into homes remains unfulfilled. “What you still see are posters and banners fluttering around the locality,” said Kishor Baligar, secretary of Dorabjee Paradise. “The signages make it look like the efforts of local politicos made Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) finally take notice of the residents’ struggles. What you cannot see yet, however, is water being supplied to our taps.” A resident of VTP Celesta cooperative housing society, choosing anonymity, confirmed that they have taken the required water connections from the overhead tanks. “However, water is yet to arrive in our taps, and we have no idea when it will commence. We hope it is soon, and we are trying to gather more information on the same,” he told TOI. Sushil Sharma, chairman of Urban Space (Phase-1) housing society, said they were still gathering documents to apply for the connection. “But many doubts persist. Firstly, some societies have got connections, but their supply is yet to begin. Then, there is the ongoing issue of plumbers charging exorbitant amounts for setting up connections. Moreover, PMC is demanding an undertaking for connections, which has some very debatable clauses. There has been huge development in the area, and it is doubtful that the tanks will be able to cater to the needs of so many households. As a result, dependence on private tankers will continue. All in all, despite the CM inaugurating the tanks, seamless water supply has still not commenced,” he summed up. Water from the overhead tanks is expected to help more than one lakh residents of multiple areas. Baligar said residents were being made to sign an undertaking by PMC before applying for a connection. “But it contains problematic points — such as residents will not take legal action if water is not provided by PMC, the society will be responsible for providing water until PMC does so, PMC can shut down the connection if there is a technical issue, etc. We can pay charges for small works, but why are plumbers registered with PMC still asking for so much? We have paid water tax all these years without supply. The conditions are such that we will be forced to sit on hunger strike once more and send a notice to the CM and PMC,” he said. Ashok Mahendale from Raheja Reserve agreed: “One point in the undertaking is that residents will not take legal steps even if PMC doesn’t supply water after sanctioning a connection. How can they add such a rider? I plan to go to PMC to talk to officials. For a single two-inch connection to around 190 flats, plumbers are charging Rs1.9 lakh. How is this viable? What has PMC done to improve the situation for us?” he said. Walter Mascarenhas, secretary of Kingston Atlantis housing society, said they were still speaking to plumbers for installation quotations. “We need to consider our budget and adjust accordingly. We have talked to some PMC-registered plumbers and we are also exploring more options,” he said. TOI also spoke to Vikas Shivaji Kale, a PMC-registered plumber in the NIBM Road area. “A one-inch single connection is enough for 48 flats. I charge a liaisoning cost of Rs30,000. This means that people won’t have to go anywhere else and I will ensure that a connection is approved by PMC. Then, there are charges for the connection itself — digging, pipes of required length, manpower, etc., which is additional. I will have to check the flat or society to see how much pipe, digging and other equipment is needed, based on which the price will be finalised. The charges for the liaisoning differ among plumbers,” Kale said. Following complaints by residents around May 9 about plumbers charging Rs50,000 per connection, PMC officials said rates are fixed — but they also said “some costs are to be negotiated with plumbers”. PMC water department head Nandkishor Jagtap confirmed to TOI that full-fledged supply through connections has not yet begun. Another PMC official informed that around 41 societies have applied for water connections so far due to the complexities involved, of which 31 applications have been sanctioned. While trial runs of water flow to some homes are on and off, permanent supply is yet to begin.Noting the problems and delays, Mohammadwadi corporator Nivrutti Anna Bandal said, “Despite the CM inaugurating the project, water is still not being supplied. The PMC clause about people not having the right to approach court if they don’t get water even after a connection is sanctioned doesn’t make any sense. Why has this it been introduced? Also, plumbers are asking for high charges in the name of liaisoning. People shouldn’t pay such rates, but only those fixed by PMC. These issues are leading to delays. I will be talking to the civic administration about all this in the coming week,” he told TOI. Meanwhile, the water crisis persists for other residents next door. At least 62 societies across Undri hilltop, Pisoli and Handewadi — including 12,317 homes and over 55,000 residents — are yet to receive piped water eight years after merging into PMC. In fact, no infrastructure exists to facilitate this. “We pay property tax to PMC and then again Rs800 per tanker, just for our basic water needs. Some societies have been doing this since 2006 as there is neither a pipeline network not any overhead water tanks for us,” said Sunil Koloti, member of the Mohammadwadi Undri Residents Welfare Development Foundation (MURWDF). We require close to 4.5lakh tankers per annum to service the existing population. But rampant building permissions being doled out by PMC are simply widening the gap between demand and supply year on year. Most of our money goes to private tanker operators now,” he added. According to residents of these areas, a solution does exist. “Around 12 overhead water tanks need to be built for Undri hilltop, Pisoli and Handewadi areas. This can be done under a public-private partnership (PPP) model in about seven to eight amenity spaces spread across these neighbourhoods. It is not money, land or expertise that is absent to get this work done — just intention and political will. We are not witnessing a planning delay but administrative failure, stripping over half a lakh citizens of their fundamental right,” Koloti told TOI.
