Pipelines laid over garbage-choked nullah put 10,000 at risk in North Nagpur
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Nagpur: Over 10,000 residents in North Nagpur are facing a significant health risk due to a water supply pipeline that runs directly through a filthy, garbage-choked nullah. The residents of Republican Nagar, Indora Basti, and Tarkeshwar Nagar rely on public taps linked to this contaminated pipeline, which they claim is exposing families, especially children, to serious illnesses.Former corporator Manoj Sangole has been raising this issue with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for years, warning that the situation is a 'ticking time bomb.
' He cautioned that if urgent corrective measures are not taken, the area could witness another outbreak of
waterborne diseases
, similar to the 1994 jaundice spread that claimed several lives."The water pipeline runs through a nullah filled with garbage and human waste. When the pipeline clogs or develops leaks, sewage seeps in, contaminating the water supply," Sangole said. "It's shocking that despite numerous complaints, NMC continues to ignore this public health disaster," he added.A visit to the area revealed foul-smelling water flowing from taps near the drain.
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The nullah was choked with plastic, sludge, and stagnant water, creating an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes and pathogens.Pramod Bansode, a shopkeeper in Republican Nagar, described the distressing impact of the choked drain, "Sometimes, the drain overflows, and the tap water turns black or brown. It floods our homes with stinking sewage. We've lost count of how many complaints we've filed with the zone office, but no one seems to care."Resident Savita Thatte, who lives with her two grandchildren near the nullah, said she often boils water twice but still feels unsafe. "Sometimes the water smells like a gutter. We don't know whether to use it or not. It's a constant worry."Sangole demanded immediate action from the NMC's water works department, public health engineering department, and officials in the Ashi Nagar zone. His demands include complete nullah cleaning, pipeline inspection, and urgent realignment or replacement of water lines laid over the drain."The issue is not just about dirty water – it's about institutional apathy," Sangole said. "We're talking about thousands of lives at stake. If action isn't taken now, we'll only have ourselves to blame when another epidemic strikes," he added.Despite repeated attempts, NMC's water works department officials remained unreachable for comment.
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