Defying Gadkari, NMC still using tankers to supply potable water

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is supplying drinking water in network areas through tankers that are making 264 trips daily across many localities in all the 10 zones. Nearly a month ago, city MP and Union minister Nitin Gadkari had directed NMC officials to stop operating water tankers in network areas.
As per NMC’s data, Orange City Water Private Limited (OCW), a joint venture of Veolia India and Vishvaraj Infrastructures Limited, is operating 47 water tankers in network areas. These tankers are 7,926 trips per month. Maximum 3,420 trips per month are in Nehru Nagar Zone.

After inaugurating three new overhead water tanks in West Nagpur on March 25, Gadkari had claimed that 50% areas of the city are getting 24x7 water supply, “yet officials were operating tankers in some areas to benefit the operators”. The minister had made a veiled remark suggesting the tankers were owned by politicians.
Former BJP corporator Satish Holey said, “OCW has failed to implement Gadkari’s good plans. Raghuji Nagar and Somwari quarters, which are covered with piped network for the last over 20 years, are still getting water through tankers.”
He pointed out that crores were spent on improving water infrastructure. “OCW, which was paid huge money in the last 11 years, had failed to detect the cause of contaminated water supply to these localities. OCW’s failure is one of the major reasons why water tankers are still operational,” he said.
Holey claimed that OCW lacked experienced manpower. “OCW staff have no idea about network and measures to be taken to prevent water crisis and contamination. Nobody cares about complaints lodged by common people and even public representatives, especially former corporators,” he said.
Former Congress corporator from Nehru Nagar zone, Sanjay Mahakalkar said that Gadkari should order an inquiry to find out activists of which party own water tankers. “Many areas in this zone are getting water for less than 30 minutes a day. Few areas are getting water during night. Supply is disrupted in case of breakdown or any other reason. Therefore, tankers are must in our zone despite having network. NMC’s 24x7 water supply project has failed miserably. OCW could not give services even at par with NMC,” he said.
Many residential localities on the city’s outskirts are yet to get drinking water network. Here, NMC has engaged 162 tankers, 3.5 times more than network areas.
Citing data, NMC has claimed big drop in number of tanker trips this year but it is marginal. Last year, 53 tankers were engaged in network areas and average trips were 13,534 per month.