Amid lockdown, dispute between residents’ bodies leads to water crisis in Sapphire society

A dispute over common facilities between two apartment owners’ associations (AOAs)of Amrapali Sapphire I and II, located in Noida’s Sector 45, has caused a water shortage in 1,000-odd flats of Sapphire I.

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AOA office-bearers of Sapphire II have allegedly stopped supply from a borewell to Saphhire I flats, says a complaint addressed to authorities. Both housing societies have about 1,000 flats each and are separated by a temporary wall. There are two borewells and water storage tanks in Sapphire I and three in Sapphire II. In a complaint, the AOA of Sapphire I alleged that Sapphire II AOA stopped water supply on Monday evening from one of its borewells.

“Since Tuesday morning, we are not getting adequate supply and are surviving on limited supply from the two borewells we have. We have filed a complaint with the court receiver and other authorities for immediate action because without water we will suffer amid this pandemic and ongoing lockdown. The AOA of Sapphire II keeps troubling us in this manner quite often,” Anisur Rahman, president, AOA Sapphire I, said.

Amrapali Group had delivered Sapphire I and II projects in 2014 partially, but most of the common facilities were not ready for use. The clubhouse, swimming pool, and grocery store are located in Sapphire I and are fully functional. These facilities are yet to be developed in Sapphire II and that became a bone of contention.

Sapphire II residents said Sapphire I did not allow them to use the club house, pool or grocery store. The water supply issue is the latest in a long list of standoffs, residents said.

“I am not aware of how water supply got disrupted. But the background is that Sapphire I people did not let us use the clubhouse and even now during this crisis, they are not letting us use the grocery store. The water tank is located in our area. If Sapphire I will send a letter or call us for help, then we will resume the supply,” Abhishek Kumar, secretary of Amarapali Sapphire II, said.

On July 23, 2019, the Supreme Court had appointed the court receiver to carry out various activities, such as registration of ready flats, accepting money from buyers, selling unsold flats, and ensuring completion of stuck housing projects etc. In March, 2019 Amrapali chairman and managing director Anil Sharma and two other promoters were sent to Tihar Jail for regularities, including delaying projects.

They are still in jail and now NBCC has been tasked with finishing the remaining projects, including the common facilities in Sapphire II, officials said.

“We have got a complaint from AOA of Sapphire I. There are some long pending issues pertaining to common facilities, which will be settled soon. The two AOAs can settle their issues though dialogue,” R Ventakramni, the court receiver, said.

The Noida authority said it was an internal matter of the AOAs.

“We received a complaint on this but we got to know that the water supply from our end is proper. One AOA has cut the supply to the other. Therefore they will sort it out themselves,” BM Pokhriyal, deputy general manger, Noida authority water department, said.