‘Water not fit for consumption’: People fall ill, but official solution yet to flow in
“This is a private colony developed by Bajwa Developers, which has yet to be handed over to any government authority,” the residents pointed out. Jaswinder Singh, of house no. 4439, said, “The water is not fit for drinking, bathing, or even washing hands. Over 100 homes are suffering due to this issue.”
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A team of the health department at ward no 10, Sector 125, Sunny Enclave, Kharar. (Express Photo)For over a month, residents of Sector 125 (ward number 10), Sunny Enclave in Kharar have been grappling with a contaminated water supply that has led to widespread illness.
Dharmendra Malik, a resident of house no. 4614, told The Indian Express that his wife, Manju Malik, was admitted to the ICU at Sohna Hospital for nine days after consuming dirty water. The treatment cost the family approximately `1.6 lakh. “She still requires regular checkups,” he said.
Malik noted that despite The Indian Express highlighting their plight on March 9, there has been no concrete action from the administration. “The government and administration are only interested in collecting taxes and votes. They act only when a major tragedy occurs,” he stated.
Sachin Ahuja, of house no. 4626, mentioned that he had lodged complaints on government portal but the problem still stands. A water sample test conducted on March 7 revealed that the water was not even suitable for handwashing.
Harpreet Singh Ahuja, residing at house no. 5077, expressed deep concern, claiming that for the past month, sewage has been mixing with the drinking water supply. Residents identified affected homes, including those from 5080 to 5066B, 4423 to 4413, 4607 to 4627, and other nearby lanes.
“This is a private colony developed by Bajwa Developers, which has yet to be handed over to any government authority,” the residents pointed out. Jaswinder Singh, of house no. 4439, said, “The water is not fit for drinking, bathing, or even washing hands. Over 100 homes are suffering due to this issue.”
Despite repeated visits to the Bajwa Developers’ office and multiple complaints to the health department, the issue remains unresolved. “We’ve lived here for 14 to 15 years, but this is the first time we’re facing a crisis of this scale,” Harpreet Singh said. “The contaminated supply has led to a spike in illnesses.”
Subhash, a resident of house no. 4445, and others have suffered from vomiting, diarrhoea, and other waterborne diseases — many of whom had to be hospitalised at Sohna and other local facilities. D K Whadhawan, another resident, stated that a foul odour from the water indicates sewage contamination. “We filed a complaint with the SMO (senior medical officer) in Mohali. Officials have collected samples and recorded our statements yesterday. Now we wait to see when and how action will be taken,” he said.
The residents have criticised the developer for inaction and are now trying to address the problem themselves. Namrata Jolly, councillor of ward no. 10, along with her husband, councillor of ward no. 11, have been working to identify contamination sources and inspect pipelines at suspected locations. However, no solution has been implemented yet.
Frustration continues to build among locals. “We’ve been suffering for a month, and the builder, municipal council, and government are all asleep. Do we have to stage a protest just to be heard?” asked a resident.
Civil Surgeon Dr Sangeeta Jain acknowledged the situation, stating that around 20 people had fallen ill but are now stable. “We’ve collected fresh samples today and are writing to the Deputy Commissioner to ensure prompt action is taken,” she said.
Repeated efforts to reach Kharar Municipal Council executive officer Ravikumar Jindal from 1 pm onward were unsuccessful. He declined calls and failed to respond to written messages on WhatsApp.
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