Worms Flow Out of Tap Water in ‘Lok Milan’ Complex
16 July 06 – Monsoons this year was no different for Powaiites like every year, but it has something nasty to offer to the residents of a housing society in Chandivali.In the vicinity of Powai at Chandivali in the Lokmilan society residents of ‘A’ wing and ‘B’ wing are living with live worms coming out through the tap water for last more than a week. Distressed residents kept writing and calling this Newspaper to come and see the condition of ‘potable water’ in this society.
Lok Milan Society came up in 1996 and is situated at the fag end of DP road no. 9. It has some 450 flats and houses doctors, journalists, TV artists, professional, executives and personal staff of Siv Sena supremo too. By any standards it has a high profile to deal with such a situation.
‘Planet Powai’ team visited the complex to gauge the magnitude of the situation last week. It spoke to quite a few residents who reluctantly confessed that for over a month they are finding small creatures seen floating in the water that comes out of their taps. Residents collected a sample from the tap for the team. After a filling a bucket it showed seven to eight tiny worms floating.
We spoke to the chairman of the society Om Mani who informed that, “We got the society’s overhead water tank cleaned a month back when we first noticed these creatures in tap water, despite this, the problem continued. We have also reported the matter some fifteen days back to BMC, but it has not responded so far,” When we further asked him whether this problem is specific to his complex, he replied, “No, such contaminated water has also been reported in adjoining housing societies also.”
Meantime, residents have to make do with boiling the water or using filtering and purification devices. An unnamed resident complained, “It is pathetic in a city like Mumbai and living in an authorized housing society, we face the threat of getting such worm infested water. The concerned authorities do not make corrective action. I wonder about the plight of people living in slums and unregulated areas.”
Some residents feel that the society office bearers don’t seem to be serious about the problem and are taking it lightly. They complain that if the problem is not taken care of immediately it could cause serious health hazard to the residents.
What is deplorable is the role of ‘L’ ward officials of BMC who have not bothered to look into this, when they have a specialized water department and are equipped with ground inspectors. It is time that the problem is attended in all its genuineness and urgency by the water supply dept.