BHOPAL: Four organisations associated with the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy have claimed that sewage-contaminated water was being supplied in residential areas around the abandoned Union Carbide factory in the Madhya Pradesh capital.
Talking to journalists in Bhopal on Friday, the representatives of the four organisations presented a report on the quality of drinking water supplied in the concerned residential areas. They claimed that the report showed that nearly 70% of water samples tested positive for faecal coliform, indicating extensive contamination with faeces.
According to Nawab Khan, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, “We tested 63 water samples from taps in 30 communities this month and presence of faecal coliform was confirmed in 43 samples. There is clear evidence that drinking water supplied to 19 out of 30 communities is contaminated with faeces. 90% samples of drinking water supplied from Upper Lake and 25% samples of water supplied from Kolar dam were found to be contaminated.”
“Residents in the communities next to the abandoned Union Carbide factory are suffering from a host of waterborne diseases from drinking faeces contaminated water. Entire families are complaining of diarrhea and vomiting and private clinics are reporting too many cases of typhoid,” claimed Rashida Bee, who heads the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.
She pointed out that in 2004, the Supreme Court was informed about the contamination of groundwater in these areas with toxic chemicals and heavy metals leaching from recklessly dumped hazardous waste from the Union Carbide factory, following which the top court ordered the supply of piped drinking water to protect residents' health from toxic contaminants.
As per Balkrishna Namdeo, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha, “In August 2018, in response to complaints of faecal contamination in piped water, the Supreme Court had directed the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) to lay down sewage lines and ensure proper drainage in this area. The BMC promised to complete the work in three months but has not taken a single step in this direction in the last eight years.” he said.
Another social activist, Rachna Dhingra, who represents the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, called for strict action against the officials responsible for supplying faece-contaminated drinking water. “People should not have to die as in Indore’s Bhagirathpura for officers to be punished for endangering the health of residents in violation of the orders of the apex court. We demand time bound implementation of the plan for sewage and drainage in the area and a system of independent monitoring of drinking water quality to be set up immediately.”
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), meanwhile, denied the claims of the four organisations. “In the 42 residential areas housing families affected by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, treated water is being supplied through pipeline. The water is not being supplied to these areas from tube wells. Regular testing of water not just being supplied to these areas, but to the entire city is being done. These regular tests haven’t revealed any impurity/contamination.
"Whenever information is received about contaminated water supply anywhere in the city, prompt corrective action is taken. If there is any delay in corrective action, safe and clean drinking water is supplied in the concerned areas through tankers,” the BMC said in its official statement.
