Stormy Nagpur Municipal Meeting Sees Mayor Take Drastic Action on Water Crisis
The first general body meeting of the newly reconstituted Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Friday erupted into a heated session, culminating in Mayor Neeta Thakre ordering the repatriation of a key engineer and issuing a sharp 15-day ultimatum to overhaul the city's troubled water supply system. This marked the return of elected governance after four years under an administrator, but the atmosphere was anything but celebratory.
Mayor's Decisive Moves Amid House Uproar
Following a barrage of complaints from corporators across party lines, Mayor Thakre directed Municipal Commissioner Vipin Itankar to initiate the process of relieving Superintending Engineer (PHE) Shweta Banerjee—an officer from the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) on deputation—and repatriating her to her parent department. Thakre warned the administration that it must demonstrate visible improvement in water supply within the next 15 days, or face even stricter consequences.
The House witnessed repeated uproar, with members accusing the water supply department and the private operator, Orange City Water Limited (OCWL), of failing to deliver clean, regular water despite massive annual expenditures. The mayor emphasized that water supply is a fundamental civic service and declared the newly elected House would not tolerate continued negligence.
Cross-Party Fury Over Financial Losses and Project Delays
Criticism flowed not only from the opposition but also from corporators within the ruling side. Leader of the Opposition Sanjay Mahakalkar highlighted that the civic body spends approximately Rs 300 crore annually on water supply, yet still incurs losses of nearly Rs 78 crore each year. "If the corporation is suffering such significant losses, what tangible benefit is the private company providing?" he questioned pointedly.
Mahakalkar further noted that the 24x7 water supply project, implemented through OCWL back in 2012, was originally slated for completion within five years. The deadline was first extended to 2022, and even now, the project remains incomplete, leaving citizens struggling for basic supply.
A Litany of Citizen Grievances Surface
During the tumultuous meeting, corporators raised a series of alarming complaints, including:
- Dirty and contaminated water being supplied to households
- Persistently low water pressure and frequent supply cuts
- Numerous pending meter-related issues causing billing disputes
BJP's Manoj Sable, Congress's Dinesh Yadav, and NCP (AP)'s Abha Pande all expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating condition of the water supply infrastructure. Pande, displaying a bottle filled with murky water, highlighted that several residents in her prabhag are receiving contaminated water, eroding public trust in the system.
Revelations of Financial Mismanagement and Unauthorized Actions
Engineer Shweta Banerjee admitted during the meeting that the corporation had paid over Rs 251 crore to OCWL in the last two financial years, while only about Rs 10 crore was withheld despite consistent service failures—a revelation that sparked further anger among members.
In a separate but significant disclosure, Banerjee conceded that water tariffs had been revised upward by 5% without the mandatory approval of the Municipal Commissioner. As per bylaws, only the commissioner is authorized to decide on tariff revisions. Corporators alleged this procedural bypass has led to some residents receiving bills up to 50% higher than previous amounts, raising serious questions about governance and accountability.
Strict Timelines and Warnings Issued
Mayor Thakre directed the administration to convene a special review meeting on water supply within the 15-day deadline and submit a detailed progress report to the House. She revealed that a meeting had already been held regarding inflated water bills, but no concrete action followed. "Officials cannot merely discuss penalties; they must implement solutions," she asserted.
The mayor issued a clear warning: if issues like inflated bills, contaminated water, leakages, and shutdowns are not resolved within 15 days, strict action will be taken against the water supply company. A special meeting focusing exclusively on drinking water issues will also be convened within the same timeframe.
