Govt water goes into private hands?:Unmarked tankers freely fill water from public tanks amid city water crisis

Amid the worsening water crisis in the city, the municipal corporation’s tanker-based water distribution system has come under scrutiny. Official records show that more than 500 tankers are authorized to supply water across 85 wards. According to municipal rules, every tanker distributing government water must clearly display markings such as “Municipal Drinking Water Distribution” and “Free Water Supply” to prevent the illegal sale of public water. However, ground reports suggest otherwise. Several tankers without municipal markings or visible registration numbers were seen openly filling water from government hydrants and public water tanks. More than 10 tankers queue outside Lovekush Nagar water tank Several tankers had no municipal identification At around 5 pm on Thursday, more than 10 tankers were lined up outside the Narmada water tank in Lovekush Nagar. Water from this facility is supplied to Wards 21, 22, and 33. Among them, six to seven tankers reportedly did not match the municipal corporation’s identification standards. Many lacked the corporation’s name and the mandatory yellow paint marking. Two tankers even displayed the names of private firms. Three tankers were also found carrying posters of a local MLA. Residents alleged that these tankers were being operated by political supporters, although it could not be confirmed whether the vehicles were linked to MLA funds or privately managed. No municipal employee present at site No municipal corporation employee was present at the water tank during the inspection. Under official rules, a designated employee must remain stationed at every water tank and hydrant to maintain records and monitor tanker entries. The operation and maintenance of city water tanks have reportedly been outsourced to Ramky Group, but no representative from the company was present either. Instead, around eight to ten unidentified individuals were seen managing tanker filling operations inside the premises. Local residents claimed they were political party supporters. Only three or four tankers displayed the mandatory “Free Water Distribution” signage. Some vehicle registration numbers were written in faded, nearly unreadable lettering, making it difficult to distinguish municipal vehicles from private ones. No official record of water distribution Tankers continued filling water throughout the evening, but there appeared to be no official monitoring system in place. There was no visible record showing which tanker was assigned to which ward, how much water was being supplied, or who was authorized to receive it. The entire operation appeared to function without supervision or accountability. Municipal Corporation promises investigation Speaking on the issue, Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashish Pathak said every hydrant and water tank is supposed to have a municipal employee responsible for recording tanker entries. When informed that no employee was present at the Lovekush Nagar tank, he said the matter would be investigated. “If such irregularities are found, we will conduct an inquiry wherever complaints are received,” Pathak said. He also clarified that all tankers must display registration numbers, complaint numbers, and “Free Drinking Water Distribution” markings. Payments to operators violating the rules could be stopped, he added. FIR registered against Councillor’s son in assault case In a related development, police have registered a case against Amit Soni, son of a local councillor, and his associates for allegedly assaulting a valve operator on duty at a water tank office located behind Bombay Hospital. According to police, the FIR was filed by Lasudia Police Station following a complaint lodged by Abhishek Panwar. The accused have been booked under multiple sections of law for the incident that took place on Tuesday night.