NMC notice to GMCH for water wastage, contamination

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has issued show cause notice to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to stop criminal waste of potable drinking water due to leakages on its premises.
Sources said the leakages detected at four different places did not just amount to wastage of potable water but are also contaminating treated water.

Confirming this, a source from NMC water works department said the Nagpur Environmental Services Limited (NESL) — an NMC subsidiary monitoring city’s water supply — has issued notice to the GMCH authorities.

A team of Orange City Water, NMC’s water works department and GMCH officials on Monday visited the spots to review GMCH’s internal water supply and distribution system. Currently, as per the meter reading at Rambagh sump on GMCH premises, the average water supply to GMCH is in the range of 22-25 lakh litres per day. From the Rambagh sump, GMCH supplies water to its wards, hostels etc on the premises.

In the notice to GMCH, NMC informed that leakages have been detected at many sites along the main pipeline supplying water from the Rambagh sump.

It is not the first time water leakage has been reported on GMCH premises. “In 2014 too, OCW-NMC had issued notice to GMCH for criminal waste of water by ignoring leakages near abandoned structures where waterlogging was spotted. Even after five years, no efforts have been taken to plug the leakages,” said the source.

“We have asked the GMCH authorities to take necessary steps to rectify the problem on priority so that wastage of potable drinking water can be avoided and supplied water can be utilized in an appropriate manner,” said sources.

Leakages have also been reported on premises of other government organizations like Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH). The NMC has asked the IGMCH authorities to plug the leakages as it is contaminating treated water.

A water works official has appealed government organizations to take efforts to plug leakages at the earliest as this will not only stop water contamination but also save potable water.

An official from the state’s public works department admitted that water pipelines on GMCH and IGMCH premises are damaged but said this is happening as the pipelines are old. The official assured to look into the matter.