Mahalunge Residents Hit The Streets Over Foul, Yellow Water Supply

Residents of several housing societies in Pune’s Mahalunge held a protest on Sunday over the poor quality of water supplied to their homes. They complained that the water has a bad smell and a yellow colour, making it unsafe for daily use and a possible health risk.

Residents claim to have complained about the issue earlier, but no permanent solution was provided. The protest also saw the presence of the wife of local MLA Shankar Jagtap, who drew attention to the seriousness of the issue. Residents said the problem highlights the poor state of basic facilities in fast-developing areas like Mahalunge.

Saumya Sarkar, a resident of Mahalunge, said, “Our demand is clean domestic water. The entire township reported yellowish, smelly water. The maintenance agency surveyed the society plants and blamed every society, saying that we are not treating the water properly. They have not shared water reports with the societies. When they didn’t take any action, all the societies in Mahalunge decided to go for a peaceful protest. Basic amenities like safe roads and water in a premium location, where flats cost Rs 1.65 crore and Rs 1.05 crore, are a daily struggle.”

Abijeet Deskar, another resident of Mahalunge, said, “For the last few days, the water quality has declined from bad to worse. We have been complaining about this issue to the township and builders, but no action has been taken. Last year, red worms appeared in the water, and this year we are getting yellowish water with a foul smell. All the society members have been complaining about the issue. We live in a township, so it doesn’t fall under PMC jurisdiction, but there should be a check on whether the builder or the township is complying with the rules.”

Chaitnya Kore, another resident of the area, said, “The township has a water treatment plant which provides domestic water to all the societies in the township, and every society has its own water treatment plant. Whenever we complain about the bad quality of water, the township says that our filters at the flat level must be non-operational. But this time, every flat in the township has the same issue. The township or the builder never takes responsibility and instead blames us. This is the third time in the last two years that we have raised this issue. They don’t act on it, and we are left to suffer.”

Residents of the area claimed that they were left with no option but to come together to protest and demand immediate action. They said the maintenance agency is doing nothing and that the supplied water does not meet basic standards.

Tension also arose during the protest when representatives of the maintenance agency and the developer arrived at the site. Arguments broke out over water samples, with residents alleging that the samples shown did not reflect the actual water supplied to homes. Protesters demanded that officials personally inspect the water system and stay in the township to see the real situation.

Office-bearers of various housing societies discussed the issue and decided to explore forming a joint federation to raise common concerns and monitor essential services such as water supply, sanitation and maintenance.

After the protest, the maintenance agency assured residents that the water supply system would be checked again and corrective steps would be taken soon. Officials promised to address the problem of the foul smell in the water.

However, residents said they will continue to follow up and protest if needed until a clean, safe and regular water supply is ensured. They have demanded transparency in water testing and accountability from developers and maintenance agencies.

Meanwhile, when The Free Press Journal contacted the township administration, they did not respond.