Noida Residents Confront Authority Over Severe Water Crisis and Deteriorating Civic Infrastructure
In a critical meeting held on Thursday, the District Residents Welfare Association (DDRWA) presented a stark picture of Noida's escalating water scarcity and declining water quality to Noida Authority CEO Krishna Karunesh. The association emphasized that inadequate supply, frequent leakages, and dangerously high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels in tap water are pushing the city toward a potential health emergency.
Water Quality Reaches Alarming Levels
Senior Vice President of DDRWA, Sanjeev Kumar, detailed the severity of the water issue, attributing it to rapid urban development with new sectors and high-rise buildings straining existing resources. "The TDS level in tap water sometimes touches 2000 mg/L, which is nearly four times the government's prescribed limits," Kumar stated. He warned that such contamination could lead to a major health crisis and demanded water quality standards on par with those in Delhi.
This concern is not new. In November last year, reports indicated that multiple societies in Noida's 7x sectors were receiving water with TDS readings between 1,000 and 3,500 mg/L, with one case exceeding 6,500 mg/L. The situation turned dire last month when residents in Greater Noida's Delta 1 area suffered from vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever after sewage contaminated the drinking water supply.
Call for Overhaul of Aging Civic Infrastructure
Beyond water woes, the DDRWA stressed the urgent need to reevaluate Noida's over four-decade-old civic infrastructure. With a growing population and expanding industrial and commercial activities, the association argued that the current systems are inadequate for areas governed by the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna authorities. They called for comprehensive upgrades to ensure improved living conditions across the district.
Traffic Congestion and Road Conditions Under Scrutiny
The delegation also highlighted worsening traffic jams and deteriorating road conditions as pressing issues. Association President NP Singh pointed out that traffic congestion is exacerbated by newer residential hubs emerging alongside older, densely populated areas with streets narrowed by encroachments. To alleviate this, the DDRWA demanded road resurfacing, widening of key routes, and the introduction of city bus services.
Additional Demands for Better Governance
Other critical issues raised included the need for effective waste disposal practices in compliance with guidelines. Residents urged the Authority to engage with them on this matter and called for the establishment of grievance and vigilance cells within the Authority to streamline complaint resolution. Furthermore, they pushed for stricter regulations on water harvesting and the conversion of leasehold land into freehold—a request initially submitted to the Noida Board in 2018 that remains pending with the state government.
In response, CEO Krishna Karunesh assured the delegation that necessary actions would be taken to address these concerns, though specific timelines or measures were not detailed during the meeting.
