Taps run dry in Kolkata colony for 50 days; residents allege bias

For the last 52 days, residents of Jyoti Nagar colony in Kolkata’s Cossipore have been surviving without drinking water. Five public taps serving the area had run dry since July 29, following pipeline work carried out by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

The colony is located on the bank of the Ganges next to the centuries-old Cossipore Guns and Shells factory under ward number 6. Around 5,000 people, mostly from the Muslim community, reside in the area. However, on July 29, the water supply stopped at all five taps serving the area and has not yet resumed.

The residents alleged that the water connection has been cut off deliberately in the name of repairing the pipeline. “We saw the KMC labourers working on the pipeline at the entry area of our colony in mid-July. On July 28, their work was over and they left. The next morning, the water supply was stopped in our area. We approached the KMC and the local MLA. But nothing has happened so far. We are probably facing this because of our religious identity. The people in the neighbouring colonies have proper water connections,” said Nazma Bibi, a resident.

Residents are forced to use water from the Ganges for bathing and washing. But the water is turbid and unhygienic with many children developing skin infections. Many of them have been undergoing treatment.

Eviction plan

Residents have also alleged that this as an attempt to evict them as the land of the colony is currently under dispute with the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority. According to the officials, the land historically belonged to the port authority. But the residents have been living in the area for a long time.

In February this year, the port authority moved the civil court to reclaim the authority of the land, comprising over 3000 sq mt. The court issued an eviction order in the same month, but the port officials issued the notice to the residents of the colony in June, asking them to vacate the area in the next 15 days.

“Meanwhile, local BJP workers also started intimidating by calling us illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and forcing us to leave the colony as soon as possible,” said another resident, Alamgir Biswas. On August 19, the residents filed a petition at the Calcutta High Court seeking relief from the eviction order. The High Court issued an interim stay till Thursday on the eviction order.

Yet, the water supply connection has not been restored.

Indifferent MLA

BJP MLA from Kashipur-Belgachhia constituency Ritesh Tiwari did not respond to The Hindu’s request for a response to the matter. However, the locals said he did not pay heed to their problems despite several requests.

“A group of women from the colony went to his office to speak to him regarding the issue in August. He said that the ones who didn’t vote for the BJP will not get any facility. Is this how we should be treated?” said Pinki Bibi, who was one of the residents in the group.

Reacting to the development, Trinamool Congress MP Samirul Islam said it is because of the BJP’s divisive politics. It has been nearly two months since their water supply connection was disconnected. “Why? Because those people are from a minority community. The PM always uses the slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Is depriving people of drinking water an example of that? Why is the Bengal government not taking action on this?” the TMC MP said in a post on X.

CPI(M) MP Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya held a protest rally condemning the government. He said that the government is violating people’s fundamental rights.

Activists from Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) also issued a statement. “Access to clean water is not a privilege or favour extended to any particular community, locality or individual; it is a basic human necessity. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that citizens are not deprived of essential public services and that such issues are addressed promptly, effectively and humanely,” said secretary Umar Awais.