Residents of Jogeshwari, Goregaon and Juhu in Mumbai’s western line have been facing an acute water crisis for the last three days. Water supply has been hit owing to pipeline damage during metro project work.s to
Since Wednesday, 29 January, residents of Jogeshwari East have been waiting in long queues in front of water tankers for their turn to get a bucket of water. Be students, senior citizens, women, or kids – everyone is running around, anxious for water.
Till today morning, there was no official statement from the BMC about when the supply would resume.
While the BMC now says the repair work will be completed by Saturday night, residents remain clueless.
“There has been no word about from the BMC since the last two days, neither about repairing nor about restoring the connection.”Resident of Jogeshwari West
The BMC may be acting on the situation now but we, the residents, immediate attention had been given to this, as water is a necessity.
A lot of residents I spoke with questioned why it took so much time for the cause to be known. Several have not been able to bathe, brush their teeth or even use the toilet!
A group of women who are employed as domestic help lamented about the problems they are facing.
“Water is most important to go about our day. Whom do we ask for water? There is no water in the entire building. Not to drink or to wash utensils.”
Another lady told me,
“There is no water. The government is not worried about us, we have no help. Anyone you see has a bucket in their hand.”
While some in housing societies have called for additional tankers and others are able to stock up on water, it is the poor of the area who suffer the most. In a slum at Raghavendra Mandir Road in Jogeshwari West, residents say there are no tankers either.
Residents also complained about being ignored by the authorities.
“My kids have not bathed since the last three days. Adults can understand the situation, however, it’s too difficult for the kids as they cannot use toilets.”
No Drinking Water
In these areas, residents tell me, drinking water is being sold at Rs 120 for 5 litres. It is usually sold for Rs 60. Many cannot afford that too.
“We have got a Bisleri dabba, but what about the people who are earning between Rs 100-200 a day? What will they do? We are also trying to help them.”
Local shopkeepers’ stock has been exhausted by now, too.
The authorities are apathetic to Jogeshwari East’s residents, but there has luckily been help from other quarters.
“We don’t have water to drink too. The Raghavendra mandir and the Gulshan Nagar Badi masjid have opened their doors for people to get water from their reserves. But since their reserves are also limited, it is possible that this last option might also not last long.”
Families are helping each other in whatever capacity they can, they feel that local netas only make false promises.
“No one is willing to help, they come only before an election or work in the name of votes.”
(The author is a tech lead based in Mumbai. All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)
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