Water woes cripples ESIC Hospital in Gurugram as civic bodies pass the buck

According to hospital officials, despite repeated appeals to both agencies, the stalemate continues, placing life-saving services at risk

Essential services at ESIC Hospital, Gurugram, have been severely hit due to a prolonged water crisis, with no resolution in sight amid bureaucratic wrangling and inter-departmental blame shifting. The hospital, which caters to hundreds of patients daily, has been relying on private water tankers since May, when the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) cut off its supply, citing an “illegal” pipeline connection.

(Representative image) A penalty of nearly ₹5 lakh was also imposed on the hospital after a Sector 9A RWA member alleged the hospital’s unauthorised connection was contributing to local water scarcity, officials claimed. (HT Archive)

A penalty of nearly ₹5 lakh was also imposed on the hospital after a Sector 9A RWA member alleged the hospital’s unauthorised connection was contributing to local water scarcity, officials claimed. The hospital, however, maintains that it has always had a legally approved 40–50 mm water connection and pays its monthly water bills.

Hospital operations — including sanitation, OT functioning, ward hygiene, and patients’ basic needs — are severely disrupted. A file seeking restoration of regular supply has been pending with MCG since January, hospital officials claim.

“We have been requesting increased water supply since January, but no solid action has been taken so far. In May, officials abruptly shut the connection, citing it as illegal, without any prior notice. Since then, the situation has worsened,” said Dr Anita Middha, medical superintendent, ESIC Hospital. The current supply remains minimal despite a brief reconnection, and the hospital now depends on one to two private tankers daily, costing ₹800– ₹1,000 each.

MCG executive engineer Sanjeev Kumar said, “We can provide a 15 mm connection. For anything higher, the hospital must approach the GMDA.” Contradicting this, a senior GMDA official said, “Since the hospital is on sector land, water supply falls under MCG’s jurisdiction.”

According to hospital officials, despite repeated appeals to both agencies, the stalemate continues, placing life-saving services at risk.