Around 300 residents of Veer Enclave, a PUDA-approved colony under the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) on Bypass Road, have been without a regular drinking water supply for the past six months. The civic body has failed to install a new borewell despite approving the project in April.
Residents raise alarm with officials
The issue has been brought to the attention of Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Senior Deputy Mayor Priyanka Sharma, local MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur, and other senior officials. However, residents claim that work on the approved borewell has yet to begin.
The Municipal Corporation’s Finance and Contract Committee cleared the proposal for a new borewell in April. Officials stated that a work order had been issued, but residents allege no progress has been made on the ground.
Reliance on shallow private borewells
Veer Enclave Residents’ Welfare Association president Amarinder Singh said residents have made repeated visits to the Municipal Corporation office over the past several months. “Every time we are assured that work will begin soon, but nothing has happened,” he said.
Residents have been forced to rely on shallow private borewells originally installed for construction purposes. These borewells supply yellowish, foul-smelling water, raising concerns about its quality and potential health risks.
Health fears and broken promises
Colony resident Pritpal Singh said most houses have private borewells drilled only 100 to 150 feet deep. “With groundwater quality deteriorating across the city, the water has turned yellow and emits a foul smell. We fear it may lead to diseases. We visit the Municipal Corporation almost every week, but officials only offer assurances,” he said.
Another resident, Sandeep Singh, accused civic officials and elected representatives of failing to provide even basic amenities. “Instead of resolving the issue, they continue to make false promises and delay the work,” he alleged.
Official response and resident skepticism
When contacted, Municipal Corporation SDO Rajesh Sharma said the work order for the borewell had already been issued and that work would begin shortly. Residents, however, said they had heard similar assurances several times before and would believe the promises only after the project actually begins.
