Santacruz chawl water woes: BMC begins health drive

Resident Nitin Kamble shows the chlorine tablets provided by the BMC to everyone at the chawl

Following mid-day's test report, the findings of which were published in its August 21 edition, the medical officer of the H-East ward conducted a survey at the chawl and also administered chlorine pills to be mixed with contaminated water. To kill the E. coli bacteria and treat faecal matter that mid-day found in the water of the Santacruz chawl, the BMC provided 390 chlorine pills to residents as a part of their intensive health intervention drive which ASHA workers conducted across the 3,380 houses.

Residents said blood tests were conducted for those with fever to detect dengue and malaria while BMC officials said they provided oral rehydration solution (ORS) to those with diarrhoea. Meanwhile, sources said civic medical officers and engineers are facing the brunt of a larger urban planning fault. "We finally feel now that someone cares, but this is just so we live to see another day till a permanent solution is found," said Nitin Kamble, a resident. A BMC officer told mid-day that its reports led to the replacement of four pipes that had visible faults, which local residents have confirmed. However, civic officials are waiting for permission to put sensors in the rest of the pipes to detect and fix faults that are not visible.

The BMC distributed 390 chlorine pills to residents

According to a BMC officer, many slum pockets across Mumbai are receiving better water as private entities are redeveloping them. However, no one wants to touch Subramaniam chawl as it is at a location where building more storeys is not permitted. The Santacruz chawl is at a dead end, for which only a 6-inch pipe was installed when residents were relocated there. However, the building society in the area got a 9-inch pipe where things are fine. "This is a case of how Mumbai is developing in a lopsided and disproportionate way," said Dr Abhay Shukla, co-editor and author of ‘Review of Health Care in India', ‘Report on Health Inequities in Maharashtra and Health System in India - Crisis and Alternatives', ‘The Right Approach to Health and Health Care'. He is also the co-author of ‘Dissenting Diagnosis' which exposes malpractices in the private medical sector in India.

Meanwhile, local resident Suman Mishra demanded back the money they paid the civic body towards water bills. "Have you heard of anyone paying money for faeces and illnesses in their water? We have been faithfully paying our water bills despite this, as we fear in case we receive clear water someday, they may demand that we pay all our dues at once or cut the connection altogether," Mishra said.

As reported by mid-day, many residents are buried under debt in their pursuit to get clean water and due to expenses towards curing health issues including low RBC, blood pressure issues, ringworm and diarrhoea. The residents have also had to shell out large amounts to pay for hospitalisation due to health issues caused by drinking contaminated water. "We have all paid a heavy price to receive clean water by fixing pipes and buying hand pumps at our own expense and the impact still hurts us. We want to be compensated," said Kamble.

According to a BMC officer, out of 50 pipes installed in the area, only 10 are legal which contributes to the problem, but civic authorities are not cutting these connections on humanitarian grounds. Residents say they had no option but to install these pipes as the closest BMC water source is 250 metres away, with no water pressure.

6 inches
Diameter of pipe supplying water to chawl