Abandoned overhead water tanks in Mohammadwadi have become den for criminals

Three overhead water tanks constructed as part of 24x7 water supply scheme for Mohammadwadi in 2018 have become den for criminals

PUNE: Three overhead mega water tanks constructed inside a compound opposite Dorabjee Heritage Mall at a cost of over ₹2 crore as part of commissioning a 24x7 water supply scheme for Mohammadwadi in 2018 have become a den for criminals, anti-social elements, binge drinkers and couples who climb the tanks in the absence of security guards and CCTV surveillance in the compound area.

Firemen pulled out a 16-year-old girl who accidentally fell into a 40-feet deep water tank located opposite the Dorabjee Heritage Mall at NIBM Road, officials said on Tuesday. Three overhead water tanks constructed as part of 24x7 water supply scheme for Mohammadwadi in 2018 have become a den for criminals. (HT)

According to the NIBM Annexe Residents’ Forum (NARF), a citizens’ forum representing over 5,000 area residents, the much-anticipated 24x7 water supply scheme for Mohammadwadi has turned into an utter failure due to apathy on the part of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) water supply department. “The 20,000 area residents need water for drinking and general usage and their long-pending demand has not been met even as the administration has spent crores on the construction of three overhead water tanks that have been dry for the past five years,” said NARF director Daljeet Goraya.

“The PMC water supply department which is responsible for the safety and maintenance of these tanks has abandoned them completely. Currently, it has become a den for criminals, anti-social elements, drug addicts, binge drinkers and couples engaging in indecent behaviour at odd times during the morning and evening. There are no security guards on duty, and CCTV surveillance has not been put in place which reflects the callous attitude of the PMC administration,” Goraya said.

At the time of construction of the tanks, the PMC water supply department had made tall claims that the water tanks would provide sufficient and clean drinking water to the area residents. The storage capacity of each tank is around two lakh gallons.

Jaymala Dhankikar, a citizen-activist, said, “The PMC water supply department is clueless about its own public asset and does not know what to do with the overhead water tanks as a result of which, they are still lying unused. No maintenance work of the tanks has been carried out and it will only get more expensive to do so in future. The tanks need regular cleaning at short intervals else they are becoming a cesspool of garbage and urban waste. We demand regular cleaning of these big tanks and deployment of security guards. At the same time, police patrolling has to be intensified and miscreants must be booked for vandalism and damage to public property.”

Kondhwa police station incharge Santosh Sonawane, said, “We will increase police patrolling and introduce checks during night time. Also, the PMC will be informed to deploy security guards and set up CCTV surveillance to prevent anti-social elements from entering the premises.”

PMC water supply department chief, Nandkishor Jagtap, said, “Entry for citizens will be banned and enhanced security measures will be put in place for protection and prevention of misuse of the compound area including the overhead tanks.”