By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: The Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s water grievance hearing, meant to test contaminated water samples, has been criticised as a mere formality after officials failed to conduct on-the-spot checks across the city. On Tuesday, water hearings were organised in all 85 wards, but ward in-charges and zonal officers were largely absent.
In Ward No. 36, following complaints of dirty water supply at Habibiya School, Congress leader Manoj Shukla reached the ward office with a water sample seeking testing. However, only a daily-wage employee was present and officials refused to accept the sample for examination, stating that samples could only be collected and sent to laboratories later.
Protesting the inaction, Shukla tested the water using a TDS meter at the site, which reportedly showed harmful elements. He alleged that 33 deaths had occurred in Indore due to contaminated water and accused the civic body of failing to ensure safe supply at the ward level.
The Congress further claimed that despite collecting over 4,000 samples, the corporation has made public reports from only three locations. Shukla urged the Municipal Commissioner to intervene, warning that polluted water posed serious health risks to hundreds of schoolchildren.
