Nashik Municipal Corporation has intensified emergency water-supply measures in Dattanagar, Ambad, after residents reported yellowish borewell water and a rise in skin ailments. The civic body has increased tanker operations, installed storage tanks, sealed contaminated borewells and begun expanding municipal connections in the affected housing clusters.
Between October 9 and 14, the NMC made 50 tanker trips to Dattanagar and installed five water storage tanks, according to officials. Residents have been advised not to use borewell water for drinking or domestic purposes while the civic body works to improve access to treated municipal water.
The response followed directions from guardian minister Girish Mahajan and municipal commissioner Manisha Khatri. An NMC official said 50 upgraded water connections had already been provided and work was under way on another 120 connections. Officials said several housing clusters were relying on inadequate municipal connections, and that appropriately sized connections were being provided based on the number of households.
Under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, the civic body has laid 1,029 metres of water pipeline in the area. The remaining work was expected to be completed by Thursday evening, according to the official quoted by the Times of India. The NMC has also restored water supply to the morning schedule following residents’ demand.
The emergency response has combined supply measures with health monitoring. At a special health camp organised by the NMC at Tuljabhavani Temple on Wednesday, 149 residents underwent medical screening. Of these, 90 were diagnosed with skin ailments. The civic body said 62 residents had moderately severe symptoms, 26 had mild symptoms and two had severe skin conditions. All those diagnosed were provided free medicines and treatment.
The reported health cases have raised questions about the risks created when households depend on groundwater in areas where municipal connections are inadequate or unreliable. The NMC is conducting awareness drives on polluted groundwater and sealing contaminated borewells, but the source of the contamination was not established in the supplied report. The civic measures therefore currently focus on preventing further use of the affected borewell water and shifting households towards municipal supply.
The next health camp is scheduled at Tuljabhavani Temple on Saturday between 10 am and 2 pm. The camp will continue screening and treatment for residents, while the NMC’s stated immediate priorities are completing the pipeline work, extending household connections and maintaining emergency tanker and storage arrangements.
