Amritsar Ward Watch Ward No. 56: Contaminated water supply curse in Ward No. 56

Residents of Ward No. 56 that comprises localities like Chhota Haripura, Ekta Nagar, several parts of Dhapai, Anand Avenue, Ram Avenue, Mohalla Ghumiara, Nabha Das Nagar and Nivi Abadi, are irked over the contaminated water supply for the past many years.

They rue that despite repeated requests to councillors in the municipal corporation and the civic authorities, the problem had remained unsolved. The situation has only aggravated as supply pipes get contaminated after mixing of water with sewage due to improper desilting of the sewer chambers and lines.

“The government and the authorities have failed to provide safe and clean water supply on regular basis. The problem of water contamination surfaces every now and then. Repeated requests to the civic authorities have failed to yield results,” said Harish Sharma, a resident of Chhota Haripura.

Another resident Rajiv Kumar said, “Sometimes foul smell emanates from drinking water. The people pay heavy amount to get their water tanks cleaned.”

He said underground sewer got choked. The power meters boxes installed in middle of roads were another major problem, he added.

Ramesh Kumar, another resident, pointed out that the road heading from the Dhapai railway crossing to Dhapai village was broken and needed urgent repair.

Parmod Kumar Babla, former councillor of Ward No. 56, said he got roads repaired in different localities, including the stretch leading from Dhapai to Rode Shah Chowk and Nivi Abadi to Ekta Nagar Chowk.

He said during his tenure, sewerage was revamped and new streetlights installed in his area. Babla said he got water supply pipelines installed in New Ekta Nagar.

He said new streetlights were installed on the road heading from Jhabal to Dhapai phatak till ganda nullah. He said the industrial area on Dhapai Road had remained neglected for many decades.

He said that contaminated water supply was not limited to Ward No. 56, but had become a problem of the holy city. The reason behind this was improper desilting of sewer lines, he added. He said officials of the municipal corporation were responsible for the contaminated water supply. He said since dissolution of the civic body House in January this year, no official listened to grievances of residents.