Nagpur: Acting on a TOI report that nearly 50 localities across nine civic zones were receiving contaminated drinking water, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday registered a suo motu PIL and sought explanations from the municipal authorities.A bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode took serious note of the February report highlighting that around 4 lakh households could be exposed to health risks due to polluted supply. Considering the gravity of the issue, the judges directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and concerned agencies to file their responses. They appointed Ishika Mahadule as amicus curiae and directed her to file a formal petition within a week.
The contamination issue surfaced during a review meeting convened by the new mayor, Neeta Thakre, on the city’s water supply. Officials acknowledged repeated complaints of foul-smelling and discoloured water from multiple elevated service reservoir command areas, pointing to lapses in maintenance, monitoring, and quality control.Contamination complaints were reported from East Samartha Nagar in Ajni under Laxmi Nagar zone; Dabha Basti, Pandhrabodi, and Panchsheel Nagar in Dharampeth zone; and Vasant Nagar supplied by Wanjari Nagar Old ESR in Dhantoli zone. In Nehru Nagar zone, affected pockets included Nandanvan Layout near Shamshan Mandir, Kawelu Quarter, Gurudeo Nagar, Sindhi Basti in Tajbag, and areas behind Tajbagh dargah.Further complaints emerged from Gulab Baba Math (Siraspeth), Jalalpura, Mirza Galli Khadan, Ganeshpeth, Rajabaxa, and Lodhipura in Gandhibagh zone; more than a dozen localities in Satranjipura zone, including areas around Itwari railway station, Prem Nagar, and Pili Marbat Chowk; and several parts of Lakadganj, Ashi Nagar, and Mangalwari zones. Hanuman Nagar was the only zone reported to be unaffected.The mayor expressed concern over possible pipeline leakages, sewer cross-connections, and inadequate chlorination, and directed immediate corrective steps, including flushing operations and strengthened water testing.The issue assumed urgency after TOI reported contamination in Mankapur, where around 50 residents fell ill. With complaints surfacing from multiple zones simultaneously, questions were raised over the effectiveness of the city’s water quality monitoring system and the promise of safe, round-the-clock supply.The court’s intervention brought judicial scrutiny to what residents described as a widening public health concern tied to the city’s water quality monitoring system.
