Mumbai: Chembur residents take ill owing to worm-infested water

Muddy water collected in a water bottle few days ago (L) and worms found in the supplied water. Pic/Arumugham Acharya

All is not well at Utkarsh society in Chembur. Residents here are storing packed mineral drinking water bottles in their houses. Reason? Since few weeks, the society is getting contaminated, muddy water infested with worms.

According to the residents of Tilak Nagar in Chembur, they have been getting contaminated water since July. However, initially, they thought it was because of the heavy rainfall. The residents stated that earlier it was just muddy water, but since a few days, worms too can be seen in the stored water.

Residents have also claimed that few people fell sick after consuming contaminated water. The building secretary of Tilak Nagar Utkarsh CHS (building no 33) which houses 69 families have filed written complaints to the local Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s M/West ward.

Arumugham Acharya, secretary of Tilak Nagar Utkarsh CHS, who was recently diagnosed with diarrhea, said, "We have complained multiple times to the BMC. They do come and check the pipeline but are not able to find the source from where the water is getting contaminated. We spent money on cleaning the water tanks in our building with the hope that after cleaning tanks we will be able to clean the water supply."

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According to the residents, around four to five buildings in Tilak Nagar are facing the same issue. Approximately five to six thousand is spent on cleaning water tanks in these buildings.

Irked with the number of complaints filed with the M/West BMC ward office, the residents of Tilak Nagar have now taken it on social media to reach out to higher authorities of BMC.

Speaking about the problems faced, Rajen Palani, treasurer of Tilak Nagar Sadanand CHS (building no 36), said, "Initially we were getting water with bad odour and muddy colour. It has been a week since we can see worms in the supplied water. Many telephonic complaints were also given to the BMC. There are people in my building facing loose motion, gastroenteritis and diarrhea issues."

"The authorities are playing a blame game. The BMC asks us to complain to MHADA and the MHADA authorities say we should complain to BMC about the issue," Palani added.

A BMC official from the water work department of M/West ward said, "We have received a few verbal complaints and one complaint on social media. Our officials also conducted site visits after receiving the complaints. There are a few residential buildings in that area to which the MHADA supplies water and these buildings are among them. Residents have been told to file a complaint to MHADA. We have requested MHADA authorities to look into the matter too."