‘Getting smelly, dirty water’: Vasant Kunj residents allege contamination as families fall sick

The issue has affected all 926 flats in the block — which houses nearly 3,500 to 4,000 people — she said. “We emptied the tanks. But even after cleaning them, the supply still looked like sewer water. My daughter, my mother, and I all fell sick,” Ruchi added.

According to residents, the crisis initially went unnoticed, with many consuming the ‘contaminated water’ before realising it had turned murky and foul-smelling.

Ruchi noted that the water looked clearer on Tuesday morning and is being used for washing purposes only.

‘Getting smelly, dirty water’: Vasant Kunj residents allege contamination as families fall sick

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However, this has not been the only issue; she also reported that sewage has started entering ground-floor homes near Gate 5 of the block.

Mausami Bhattacharjee, president of the C-9 Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA), said sewer overflow near Gates 6 and 7 has been a persistent issue for the past month. She added that children and senior citizens have been the worst impacted, with many suffering from health issues such as diarrhoea and stomach infection.

According to residents, the crisis initially went unnoticed, with many consuming the ‘contaminated water’ before realising it had turned murky and foul-smelling. (Screengrab from video)

Bhattacharjee said, “Earlier, officials would clear blockages, but now it has become a constant problem. Nearly 80 to 90 flats are affected, with silt everywhere and a foul smell in the air. Senior citizens are suffering because they cannot step outside without feeling nauseous. The DJB has started work to install a new sewer line at Gate 5, but for the past five days, the sewer has been left open. We fear this may have caused backflow and contamination of the water supply,” she said.

Around 10 to 12 water tankers reach the locality daily, but the costs are high. Residents said the shortage has even sparked fights over tanker distribution. “Private tankers are charging Rs 600 to 700 for 1,000 litres, and even then, we cannot be sure of the water quality,” said Bhattacharjee.

DJB officials, however, dismissed claims of contamination from the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant, which supplies the area.

A senior official said turbidity in raw water from the Yamuna and Ganga rivers does rise during monsoon, but “production has not been affected beyond 1-2%. That variation is normal and within norms for potable water. The problem may be due to local issues in Vasant Kunj.”