NAGPUR: At the banks of the historic ‘Naik Talao Lake’ , lies a Naik Talao area (earlier known as Bangla Desh area), wherein Orange City Water (OCW’s ) and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) joint efforts of providing daily water supply has come into a reality. Like the people from Kapil Nagar area, located near Manewada and Kaikadi Nagar which started receiving water after 30-years, residents of these old and historic area Naik Talao-Bangladesh has also started receiving water at their taps for at least 2-hours every day, seven days a week and that too after a prolonged wait of almost 15-years.
“Not worrying about water is such a relief,” says Pushpa Sadavarte, a resident of Naik Talao. Hailing from a village near Nagpur where availability of water was always an issue, the luxury of merely turning the tap to get water in Naik Talao and not having to store it in any storage tank was no small thing, she said.
This dream became a reality for Naik Talao (Bangla Desh) residents few other localities nearby due to technical efforts being put up jointly by OCW-NMC expert’s team under the technical guidance of Municipal Commissioner Shyam Wardhane and OCW Chief Executive Officer Sanjoy Roy and Corporator Praveen Bhishikar.
OCW which has been implementing NMC’s ambitious uninterrupted water supply project (24×7 project ) and also operating and maintaining existing water supply system has not only improved water supply in as many as 209 areas across city but also converted more than 54 areas across city into daily water supply from the earlier list of 71 areas which were getting alternate water supply in last many years.
It may be mentioned here residents of Naik Talao alongwith the Corporator Pravin Bhishikar, who earlier were facing severe water shortage and have to spend hours together to get sufficient water for their families have also expressed satisfaction on receiving at least one and half hour water supply at their taps and that too after a prolonged wait of almost 15 years.
Radhika Gathibandhe and her mother-in-law Vimal Gathibandhe informed that since last 15 to 20 years and more they used to fetch drinking water far-away from a public tap or have to depend upon the Tankers. For the entire day both ‘mother-in- law and – daughter- in- law’ duo and other family members used to spend quality hours to bring water and store it for sufficient use for both potable and non-potable use. Further, the water they were receiving from public taps earlier was contaminated and people, especially children here get affected by water borne diseases.
Then time came when they started receiving water from Tankers. “A daily argument tanker supplier and fight with neighbors’ just for a bucket of water has become a routine for us,” both stated.
“Now all of these has become a thing of past, now just turn the tap and get sufficient water. We have faced severe problems and literally struggled every day, but now we are happy that present and future generation will get sufficient water and can invest their precocious time in other work,”both said.
Echoing similar views another resident Anita Vishwakarma said, “We have seen very difficult period and literally war for water supply through Tankers in last 15-years. But now just because even of one hour regular supply right at our tap, now all problems are solved and we can concentrate on other work too rather than spending hours on storing water. She added that,” Now I can spend my precious time in other household works too”.
Bhupendra Sonkusrae said,” There was huge difference in kind of water supply we earlier used to get from the public taps or Tankers and now we are receiving after laying of new pipeline and connection given by OCW. Water is clean, safe and sufficient for our daily use. ‘War on Water’ has become a thing of past at least in Naik Talao area he added.
These residents thanked OCW-NMC saying that after 15-years you people have brought ‘Happy Days’ for us where now we just attach pipes to our taps, store and use sufficient water for our daily needs”. They said along with water at their taps they are very happy to see OCW Top officials at their doorstep also. It is a good step that Senior Citizens can interact with OCW Top officials directly to solve their water related problems without any hurdle in between.
OCW Chief Executive Officer Sanjoy Roy said, “OCW is committed for the betterment of water supply system and to provide safe, clean, sufficient potable water at every tap in city. He also appeal Hon. Public representatives, media representatives, our esteemed consumers and vigilant citizens to help and whole heartedly support NMC-OCW.
