Nagpur Municipal Corporation Takes Action on Water Woes
In a decisive move, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has intensified pressure on Orange City Water (OCW) Pvt Ltd to address mounting public grievances over water services. This follows a 15-day ultimatum issued by the NMC general body just a week ago, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Immediate Directive from Water Works Committee
Water Works Committee chairperson Divya Dhurde convened a review meeting on Wednesday, directing OCW officials to immediately resolve complaints related to water supply, billing, and quality. This meeting was held even before a special general body meeting could be organized, underscoring the committee's proactive stance.
During the first general body meeting, several corporators expressed significant anger over issues such as irregular water supply, inflated bills, and polluted water in various areas. Dhurde emphasized that all citizen complaints must be treated as priority cases and resolved without delay. She also instructed OCW to submit a detailed status report on complaints from different zones and improve coordination with the water works department.
Addressing Billing and Meter Problems
Complaints regarding faulty meters and excessively high bills were discussed in detail. Dhurde directed OCW to:
- Correct bills that show a five-fold increase to earlier levels where errors are identified.
- Immediately replace water meters that are over five years old or not functioning properly.
She stressed that citizens should not bear the burden due to technical faults or repair delays, ensuring accountability from the service provider.
Water Storage and Distribution Insights
Despite the complaints, Dhurde assured that Nagpur has sufficient water storage this summer, ruling out a major crisis. She revealed that the NMC pumps approximately 735 million liters per day (MLD) from sources like the Pench reservoir and Kanhan river, but billing is only for about 521 MLD. Officials were instructed to identify this gap and prioritize plugging leakages and losses in the distribution system.
Summer Preparedness and Infrastructure Review
The committee reviewed the department's overall preparedness for summer. Officials informed that water is supplied through 109 overhead tanks, sourced from multiple locations including the Pench project, Kanhan river, Navegaon Khairi, and Gorewada lake. Dhurde also examined works carried out between 2022 and 2025, seeking updates on the 24x7 water supply project, which has faced repeated complaints.
Key instructions included:
- Repairing non-functional borewells.
- Cleaning and desilting public wells.
- Encouraging citizens to adopt rainwater harvesting to reduce pressure on the main supply during summer.
Proposals for Improved Water Management
Deputy chairperson Vijay Zalke suggested installing flow meters on major pipelines to prevent water wastage and detect leakages. Members also demanded strict action against illegal water connections used by lawns, marriage halls, and private water suppliers. Additionally, corporators called for setting up special grievance cells in every zone to address billing issues and ensure proper road restoration after pipeline laying.
Dhurde warned that the body will closely monitor OCW's performance over the next two weeks, with strict action if complaints remain unresolved, reinforcing the ultimatum's seriousness.
