Dozens fall ill in Gurugram’s Sec 70A, blame pipeline water

Residents of BPTP Astaire Garden report diarrhoea cases since December 8, hospitalisations, foul-smelling discoloured water and delayed sample collection.

Residents of Sector 70A in Gurugram fell ill with diarrhoea and other stomach-related ailments after consuming contaminated water, with locals claiming that at least 60 to 70 people were affected, including 10 to 15 who required hospitalisation.

(Representative image) GMDA and health teams collected samples after complaints; residents allege sewage mixing and negligence as authorities deny supply from their pipelines. (AFP)

The cases were reported from BPTP Astaire Garden, where residents said incidents of illness, particularly among children and senior citizens, began rising from December 8. Following the complaints, the issue was taken up with the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), after which teams from the GMDA and the health department collected water samples on December 12.

“Since December 8, we have been getting foul-smelling water that is dark yellow and blackish in colour. It became clear that the water was contaminated. While several residents switched to packaged mineral water, some who consumed the tap water have fallen ill with diarrhoea and other stomach-related ailments,” said Vivek Sharma, a resident of BPTP Astaire Garden.

With over 1,000 families residing across five blocks, residents said they formally complained to the GMDA. “We have raised this issue with GMDA officials and will also be arranging a meeting with District Commissioner Ajay Kumar. This is a case of gross negligence. For nearly a week, our society was supplied with contaminated water,” said Jaswant Rao, president of the residents welfare association.

Rao said a government health camp was organised inside the society on Saturday. “Health officials have collected water samples, and we are expecting the report soon,” he said. He added that GMDA has denied any fault. “We suspect the contamination is due to negligence by the builder. We believe water from the sewage treatment plant may have mixed with the domestic water supply,” Rao said.

“Residents are paying thousands of rupees in maintenance charges, and this is the kind of service we receive in return. This is a case of serious negligence that needs to be investigated,” Sharma said.

HT accessed a GMDA water testing report dated November 11, which stated that the water supplied was clean and safe for drinking.

A senior GMDA official said the contaminated water did not originate from the authority’s pipeline. “This was not supplied through our network. Residents should check for sources of contamination within the society premises,” the official said.

Shyam Sunder, managing director of Business Park Maintenance Services Pvt Ltd, said, “As soon as we received a complaint from RWA, water samples were sent to the GMDA water testing laboratory. As an additional one-time measure, and in the interest of residents’ health and safety, BPMS has initiated the cleaning of all individual overhead tanks within the colony. The issue has been resolved now.”

Residents said the issue initially began in C Block before spreading across the society. “The water samples collected by both GMDA and the health department were taken four to five days after the initial complaints,” Sharma said.

Dr JP Rajliwal, deputy civil surgeon, Gurugram, said a health camp was organised to examine residents. “Patients reporting symptoms such as loose motions were advised medication as per protocol. In addition, water samples were collected for testing to check for any possible contamination,” he said.