‘We’re scared after Indore tragedy’: Contaminated water leaves 70 ill in another Greater Noida sector
The matter came to light on January 8, when Subhash Bhati, the president of the Residents Welfare Association of Alpha 2, learnt that four college students living as tenants in the sector are suffering from typhoid.
“Last week, we fixed five damaged lines in Alpha and Delta sectors. There is a 35-km pipeline stretch, and repairs are being done one by one. Water supply cannot be stopped entirely, so repairs have to be carried out simultaneously. People need to be patient,” he added.
Over 70 residents of Alpha 2 in Greater Noida have complained of falling sick after allegedly consuming water mixed with sewage — a result of damaged pipelines.
The matter came to light on January 8, when Subhash Bhati, the president of the Residents Welfare Association of Alpha 2, learnt that four college students living as tenants in the sector are suffering from typhoid.
“After the Indore tragedy, we are all scared. We immediately checked their medical reports,” Bhati said. At least 15 people had died after drinking contaminated water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area recently.
According to Bhati, to understand if more people had fallen sick, they approached several other households. “In a house next to that of the college students, a family of six complained of stomach ache and nausea,” he added.
The sector is occupied by over 25,000 people, across blocks A to F. According to residents, the galvanised iron water pipelines in the area are severely corroded, while several sewer lines lie uncovered, leading to frequent water contamination as well as flooding and clogged drains in their houses.
“People have been falling sick time and again. The area smells because of the open drain and water reaches our home,” said Deepak Nagar, a resident.
The health scare in Alpha 2 surfaced around the same time around 30 residents of nearby Delta 1 reportedly fell ill after consuming contaminated water. Following complaints. Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) had fixed one leakage in Delta 1 and collected water samples for testing.
“On January 8, we had taken water samples from Alpha 2 and sent them for testing as well after we received a few complaints of water contamination,” said Vinod Sharma, General Manager, Water Management, GNIDA. “The reports will be in next week,” he added.
The next day, the GNIDA constituted a high-level committee to review the city’s water supply system and ordered an urgent audit of pipelines, reservoirs and water ATMs.
N P Singh, general secretary of Alpha 2’s RWA, said that despite multiple complaints sent to GNIDA for over a-year-and-a-half, the pipeline was not fixed.
Bhati alleged that GNIDA was deflecting responsibility. “The life of these iron pipes is over. This is extremely serious. People in a planned city are drinking sewer water.”
Anita Gautam (55), a resident, said the issue existed long before it gained attention following the Indore incident. “I fell sick, and my 19-year-old son was hospitalised. Small children have also been admitted to hospitals.”
“Every week, there is a pipe leakage. Labourers come and fix it temporarily, and the problem returns,” she added.
GNIDA officials said pipeline replacement work was underway but would take time. “We have started replacing the iron pipes. Recently, Ganga water supply was introduced in these areas, and the increased pressure caused leakages in old pipelines,” Sharma said.
“Last week, we fixed five damaged lines in Alpha and Delta sectors. There is a 35-km pipeline stretch, and repairs are being done one by one. Water supply cannot be stopped entirely, so repairs have to be carried out simultaneously. People need to be patient,” he added.
Asked why permanent repairs were not undertaken by GNIDA earlier despite complaints, Sharma said, “We used to receive one or two complaints from individual households, which were fixed. Also, water tanks in houses need cleaning. The authority alone cannot be blamed.”
Share
