PUNE: Pimpri Chinchwad has over 4,200 unmetered water connections belonging to former corporators, educational institutions, cooperative banks, commercial establishments among others, stated the municipal corporation in response to a RTI query.
Social activist Vitthal Vinod had sought information about unmetered water connections and also the recovery of water tax in the past three years. Apart from the 4,200 unmetered residential connections, there are 94 unmetered commercial water connections in the city, Vinod said. He demanded that municipal commissioner Rajeev Jadhav take this up.
In Pimpri Chinchwad, there are a total of 1,39,421 water connections. The performance of the water supply department in recovering arrears and current demand has also been poor. The water tax dues have been going up every year.
City engineer MT Kamble pointed out that in 2007 under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the civic body had started installing water meters. "Over 1.4 lakh water meters were installed till 2010. But people complained of exorbitant bills and did not pay their bills due to which the collection of water tax was low initially. The civic body then implemented the amnesty scheme to reduce the grievances and encourage people to pay taxes. As a result the collection of water tax and recovery of arrears has increased significantly," he said.
He added that one and a half years around 22,000 water connections without meters found in the municipal limits. "We have installed water meters on 17,700 connections and started collecting water tax as per the meter readings. Now only around 4,200 unmetered connections are remaining where we will install water meters in the next three months and start collecting water tax," said Kamble.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/4200-unmetered-water-connections-in-PCMC/articleshow/35175640.cms
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Traces of cyanide found in packaged drinking water
PUNE: Traces of cyanide, a powerful poison and chemical contaminant, have been found in packaged drinking water during a routine exercise of the Food and Drugs Administration to check samples. This is the first time cyanide has been found in packaged drinking water in the state.
The FDA had collected the samples from two plants located in Jalna and Parbhani districts. The samples were tested at FDA's referral laboratory that confirmed the presence of cyanide in unsafe proportion, following which the body filed an FIR against both the plant owners.
Officials said they will now move court against the plant owners for violating norms of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, there should be no trace of cyanide in packaged drinking water. Both the plants have been closed down after FDA issued temporary prohibitory orders.
The major source of cyanide in drinking water is discharge from industrial chemical factories. People who drink water containing cyanide for many years could experience nerve damage or problems with their thyroid.
FDA officials had picked up samples of bottled water from the packaged water plant located in Ner village in Jalna district as part of a routine check. They sent the samples to Pune-based State Public Health Laboratory for testing, which found it unsafe for human consumption as it had rod-shaped bacteria called coliform in high proportion.
When the plant owner was informed about the negative test results, he rejected it and asked the officials to reconfirm the results with the government's referral laboratory in Ghaziabad. Officials then sent another bottled water sample drawn from the same plant in the prescribed format to this laboratory. The referral laboratory cited the presence of cyanide about a month and a half ago.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Traces-of-cyanide-found-in-packaged-drinking-water/articleshow/35175871.cms
The FDA had collected the samples from two plants located in Jalna and Parbhani districts. The samples were tested at FDA's referral laboratory that confirmed the presence of cyanide in unsafe proportion, following which the body filed an FIR against both the plant owners.
Officials said they will now move court against the plant owners for violating norms of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, there should be no trace of cyanide in packaged drinking water. Both the plants have been closed down after FDA issued temporary prohibitory orders.
The major source of cyanide in drinking water is discharge from industrial chemical factories. People who drink water containing cyanide for many years could experience nerve damage or problems with their thyroid.
FDA officials had picked up samples of bottled water from the packaged water plant located in Ner village in Jalna district as part of a routine check. They sent the samples to Pune-based State Public Health Laboratory for testing, which found it unsafe for human consumption as it had rod-shaped bacteria called coliform in high proportion.
When the plant owner was informed about the negative test results, he rejected it and asked the officials to reconfirm the results with the government's referral laboratory in Ghaziabad. Officials then sent another bottled water sample drawn from the same plant in the prescribed format to this laboratory. The referral laboratory cited the presence of cyanide about a month and a half ago.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Traces-of-cyanide-found-in-packaged-drinking-water/articleshow/35175871.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/Water-woes-Only-36-tankers-for-932-villages/articleshow/35171789.cms
PUNE: Pimpri Chinchwad has over 4,200 unmetered water connections belonging to former corporators, educational institutions, cooperative banks, commercial establishments among others, stated the municipal corporation in response to a RTI query.
Social activist Vitthal Vinod had sought information about unmetered water connections and also the recovery of water tax in the past three years. Apart from the 4,200 unmetered residential connections, there are 94 unmetered commercial water connections in the city, Vinod said. He demanded that municipal commissioner Rajeev Jadhav take this up.
In Pimpri Chinchwad, there are a total of 1,39,421 water connections. The performance of the water supply department in recovering arrears and current demand has also been poor. The water tax dues have been going up every year.
City engineer MT Kamble pointed out that in 2007 under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the civic body had started installing water meters. "Over 1.4 lakh water meters were installed till 2010. But people complained of exorbitant bills and did not pay their bills due to which the collection of water tax was low initially. The civic body then implemented the amnesty scheme to reduce the grievances and encourage people to pay taxes. As a result the collection of water tax and recovery of arrears has increased significantly," he said.
He added that one and a half years around 22,000 water connections without meters found in the municipal limits. "We have installed water meters on 17,700 connections and started collecting water tax as per the meter readings. Now only around 4,200 unmetered connections are remaining where we will install water meters in the next three months and start collecting water tax," said Kamble.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/4200-unmetered-water-connections-in-PCMC/articleshow/35175640.cms
Social activist Vitthal Vinod had sought information about unmetered water connections and also the recovery of water tax in the past three years. Apart from the 4,200 unmetered residential connections, there are 94 unmetered commercial water connections in the city, Vinod said. He demanded that municipal commissioner Rajeev Jadhav take this up.
In Pimpri Chinchwad, there are a total of 1,39,421 water connections. The performance of the water supply department in recovering arrears and current demand has also been poor. The water tax dues have been going up every year.
City engineer MT Kamble pointed out that in 2007 under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the civic body had started installing water meters. "Over 1.4 lakh water meters were installed till 2010. But people complained of exorbitant bills and did not pay their bills due to which the collection of water tax was low initially. The civic body then implemented the amnesty scheme to reduce the grievances and encourage people to pay taxes. As a result the collection of water tax and recovery of arrears has increased significantly," he said.
He added that one and a half years around 22,000 water connections without meters found in the municipal limits. "We have installed water meters on 17,700 connections and started collecting water tax as per the meter readings. Now only around 4,200 unmetered connections are remaining where we will install water meters in the next three months and start collecting water tax," said Kamble.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/4200-unmetered-water-connections-in-PCMC/articleshow/35175640.cms
Water woes: Only 36 tankers for 932 villages
THANE: Water scarcity in rural areas of Thane district has become worse as the Thane zilla parishad administration has arranged for only 36 tankers which are able to supply drinking water to just 144 villages, out of 932. Shahpur taluka has been affected the most as 247 villages are facing water shortage.
As many as 35 villages and 109 tribal areas have been added to the list where potable water is being supplied. But many other villages are battling under water shortage problems. Besides tankers, water is supplied to some remote areas via bullock carts.
Although a remedial plan has been formulated by the administration, the ground reality is different. Villagers are upset with the entire mismanagement as they are facing tough times, especially because of the scorching heat. They feel that the administration must resolve the problem at the earliest.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/Water-woes-Only-36-tankers-for-932-villages/articleshow/35171789.cms
As many as 35 villages and 109 tribal areas have been added to the list where potable water is being supplied. But many other villages are battling under water shortage problems. Besides tankers, water is supplied to some remote areas via bullock carts.
Although a remedial plan has been formulated by the administration, the ground reality is different. Villagers are upset with the entire mismanagement as they are facing tough times, especially because of the scorching heat. They feel that the administration must resolve the problem at the earliest.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/Water-woes-Only-36-tankers-for-932-villages/articleshow/35171789.cms
Infected water giving rise to diarrhea cases in city
LUCKNOW: With the outset of summer, surge in cases of diarrhea has raised concern of authorities in the state capital. Within five days there were more than 100 cases reported of people suffering from diarrhea after consuming contaminated water.
Talking to TOI, medical superintendent of Sarojninagar community health center Dr A K Verma said "About 50 cases of diarrhea were reported on Tuesday from Rajnikhand of LDA colony, but as of now the situation is under control as we have treated every patient in the area and distributed chlorine tablets to every household."
"This sudden outbreak of diarrhea is the result of Jal Sansthan's sluggish approach towards and poor maintenance of drainage and water system," alleged Dr Verma.
Responding to the allegation of poor maintenance, an official of Jal sansthan of zone-5 said "there was breakage in one of the service lines and sewer water mixed with the supply water polluting it, but we repaired it on Sunday. We are always alert about wear and tear of water and sewer pipelines and it's only this time the situation got serious."
As per another report from a local health officer "at least five more cases of diarrhea were reported in Luv Kush area of Indira Nagar a couple of days back."
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Infected-water-giving-rise-to-diarrhea-cases-in-city/articleshow/35174992.cms
Talking to TOI, medical superintendent of Sarojninagar community health center Dr A K Verma said "About 50 cases of diarrhea were reported on Tuesday from Rajnikhand of LDA colony, but as of now the situation is under control as we have treated every patient in the area and distributed chlorine tablets to every household."
"This sudden outbreak of diarrhea is the result of Jal Sansthan's sluggish approach towards and poor maintenance of drainage and water system," alleged Dr Verma.
Responding to the allegation of poor maintenance, an official of Jal sansthan of zone-5 said "there was breakage in one of the service lines and sewer water mixed with the supply water polluting it, but we repaired it on Sunday. We are always alert about wear and tear of water and sewer pipelines and it's only this time the situation got serious."
As per another report from a local health officer "at least five more cases of diarrhea were reported in Luv Kush area of Indira Nagar a couple of days back."
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Infected-water-giving-rise-to-diarrhea-cases-in-city/articleshow/35174992.cms
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