Ever since the inauguration of the ambitious 24x7 water project in Manimajra, Chandigarh last year, several reports highlighted the dirty water being supplied to the residents. Even a vigilance probe is on over the alleged corruption in the project. Amidst this, water bills worth up to tens of thousands of rupees have been received, fetching fresh pain for the residents of Manimajra. In some cases, bills have shot up to four times, with the highest being 17,000 in the two-month period of the billing cycle. Even a 10-marla house saw a water bill with a four-time hike. Residents said this is happening when there is not much difference in the previous and new meter readings. While a resident, Ram Karan, has received a bill worth Rs 17,105, another resident, Shamsher Singh, has received a bill of Rs 13,390 and another Uma Gupta has received a bill of Rs 11,181. H C Chawla, a resident of Manimajra who had got a bill of Rs 2,230 in the June cycle, has received a bill of Rs 4,584 this time, almost entirely double of what was issued to him in the previous period. Sharing his ordeal, Chawla’s son, Rohit, told The Indian Express that such is the state of affairs even when people from the area are buying mineral water from outside even for daily chores as water in taps was coming muddy. “Had we been getting clean water and would have faced a reasonable hike, it wouldn’t have been painful. But this is what we are paying for dirty water,” Rohit said. “This is so painful as we are buying mineral water to drink and even for bathing and other chores. A lot of people also got sick as well about 4-5 months back,” he added. The water project in Manimajra was inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah last year and shall be implemented across the whole of Chandigarh soon. After allegations of corruption came to fore, a vigilance probe began. Officials had claimed that the households will get better pressure of water sufficient to fill tanks up to fourth storey, thus lowering the pumping costs from the Manimajra project. The project cost Rs 74.56 crore with an OPEX value of Rs 91.29 crore for 15 years, which will be borne by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. The authorities had aimed to transform the existing intermittent water supply into a continuous and pressurised system, in a bid to enhance water supply efficiency, reduce wastage, and ensure better water resource management. Rs 400-cr loan from foreign agency As Chandigarh seeks pan-city implementation of 24x7 water supply, an amount of Rs 410 crore has also been taken from a foreign agency. Vinod Vashisht, convener, City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisation (CFORWO), said a modern SCADA based 24X7 water supply and distribution project is needed and welcome for a city like Chandigarh, but it should be in no way at the cost of its residents. “The Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Corporation should in no way be burdened for this project as the city is not getting its due pie in annual Union budgets,” Vashisht added.
