Five of family die after water supply cut forces them to wash clothes in quarry

On Sunday, the residents of Deslepada-Sandap village also took the streets complaining about the water shortage

Dombivli After five members of a sarpanch’s family drowned in a quarry at Dombivili’s Sandap village on Saturday, the residents claimed there was a two-day water cut imposed by MIDC, due to which the family went to the quarry to wash clothes.

The five members of sarpanch Suresh Gaikwad’s family had gone to wash clothes in the quarry on Saturday (Praful Gangurde)

“The family would usually not wash clothes at the quarry. They went that day because tap water was not available. The authorities had informed about the water supply cut, which was restored on Sunday,” said Ganesh Patil, 50, a resident of Sandap village.

On Sunday, the residents of Deslepada-Sandap village also took the streets complaining about the water shortage. “If the water shortage continues, we will protest outside the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation,” said Vandana Shinde, 38, a resident of Deslepada, Dombivli.

The five members of sarpanch Suresh Gaikwad’s family had gone to wash clothes in the quarry on Saturday. In the evening, a villager saw the body of a woman floating in the water and alerted the fire brigade and local police. They recovered all five bodies by night.

“The family lived in Deslepada, a village near Sandap village. However, the women and children came to the quarry as it was nearby,” added Patil.

The deceased were identified as Apeksha Gaikwad, 30, Meera Gaikwad, 55, Mayuresh Gaikwad, 15, Moksh Gaikwad, 13, and Nilesh Gaikwad.

Gajanan Patil, a social activist from Katai village, said, ”Several such villages have been facing water shortage for the last several years and people had even protested about the same. Villages like Bhopar, Nandivli, Sandap, Deslepada have acute water shortages and people are dependent on tanker water at most times. People also go to the natural water bodies to wash clothes. There is a need to address the issue with priority,”

An officer from MIDC, who did not wish to be named, said, ”A two-day water cut was imposed in the villages due to technical repair work and prior notice was given for the same.”