Getting a legal water connection from Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) will require a genuine citizen to run from pillar to post, but illegal slow-dwellers at 'Shiv Krishna Dham' off Koradi Road have managed to lay a 150-metre-long drinking water pipeline in just eight days. They are also confident of connecting it to the main water supply pipeline under the patronage of the local slumlord.
The laying of the illegal pipeline by the slum dwellers could not have been possible without the tacit support of local politicians and also the involvement of some NMC water works department officials, since such projects need technical know-how and expertise, say sources.
Work on the four-inch illegal pipeline has been going on since May 1. The slum-dwellers have been doing a major portion of the work on holidays and during the night, so that no one notices the work.
The work is reportedly being done under the patronage of slumlord Dilip Gawalbanshi, who claims to be the owner of the land, but is not. Those settled in these slums were mostly residents of Goa Colony along Kamptee Road, which was demolished two years ago by the Central Railway.
There are around 300 houses in Shiv Krishna Dham, with most having illegal power connections. Those who managed to get legal connections too have done it fraudulently. Residents admit that they have no legal papers to claim that the plots belonged to them.
During a site visit on Sunday, TOI found that some slum dwellers were laying the pipeline in the presence of Gwalbanshi's men, who 'challenged' the authorities to stop them from connecting the pipeline to the main water pipeline.
The nearest main water pipeline in the area is under the nullah on Koradi Road. The slum-dwellers plan to puncture the main line and connect the illegal pipeline laid by them. Water will then be supplied to the residents from this pipeline. Connecting illegal water line to the main line will mean meagre water supply to genuine residents who pay taxes.
Talking to TOI, Gwalbanshi said he was serving the poor people. "I'm doing a social service," he added, but had nothing to say about the legality of the water pipeline.
SS Hastak, executive engineer, NMC water works department, did not respond to repeated calls. However, Prakash Totwani, chairman of the NMC Water Supply Committee, admitted the pipeline was being laid illegally by the slum-dwellers and action will be taken. "We will close down all illegal connections to the slum after seeking police protection," Totwani asserted.
Meanwhile, work on laying the pipeline is almost complete. On Sunday, final touches were being given to the pipeline under the guidance of Gwalbanshi's henchmen. TOI has learnt that the pipes used for laying the line too were stolen from some government site. On one of the pipes had the letters NIT stamped on it.
TOI had reported in December 2009 and March 2009 how private land was being encroached upon by people removed from the railway land, christened as Goa Colony, near Gaddigodam.
In the recent past, fresh encroachments have come up in 11 acre land in khasra numbers 108, 109, 107 and on 105/2 behind Wox Cooler factory on Koradi road. Gwalbanshi's men said that over 300 more houses will come up in the area once encroachments near Dobinagar (Pachpaoli) are removed.
Nearby residents say the encroachers have no identity or credentials. Many of the youths in the slum are involved in all sorts of illegal activities like stealing, selling narcotics and brewing illicit liquor. There has been a spurt in theft cases after the slums came up in the area. Koradi police however seem to be mute spectators.
The laying of the illegal pipeline by the slum dwellers could not have been possible without the tacit support of local politicians and also the involvement of some NMC water works department officials, since such projects need technical know-how and expertise, say sources.
Work on the four-inch illegal pipeline has been going on since May 1. The slum-dwellers have been doing a major portion of the work on holidays and during the night, so that no one notices the work.
The work is reportedly being done under the patronage of slumlord Dilip Gawalbanshi, who claims to be the owner of the land, but is not. Those settled in these slums were mostly residents of Goa Colony along Kamptee Road, which was demolished two years ago by the Central Railway.
There are around 300 houses in Shiv Krishna Dham, with most having illegal power connections. Those who managed to get legal connections too have done it fraudulently. Residents admit that they have no legal papers to claim that the plots belonged to them.
During a site visit on Sunday, TOI found that some slum dwellers were laying the pipeline in the presence of Gwalbanshi's men, who 'challenged' the authorities to stop them from connecting the pipeline to the main water pipeline.
The nearest main water pipeline in the area is under the nullah on Koradi Road. The slum-dwellers plan to puncture the main line and connect the illegal pipeline laid by them. Water will then be supplied to the residents from this pipeline. Connecting illegal water line to the main line will mean meagre water supply to genuine residents who pay taxes.
Talking to TOI, Gwalbanshi said he was serving the poor people. "I'm doing a social service," he added, but had nothing to say about the legality of the water pipeline.
SS Hastak, executive engineer, NMC water works department, did not respond to repeated calls. However, Prakash Totwani, chairman of the NMC Water Supply Committee, admitted the pipeline was being laid illegally by the slum-dwellers and action will be taken. "We will close down all illegal connections to the slum after seeking police protection," Totwani asserted.
Meanwhile, work on laying the pipeline is almost complete. On Sunday, final touches were being given to the pipeline under the guidance of Gwalbanshi's henchmen. TOI has learnt that the pipes used for laying the line too were stolen from some government site. On one of the pipes had the letters NIT stamped on it.
TOI had reported in December 2009 and March 2009 how private land was being encroached upon by people removed from the railway land, christened as Goa Colony, near Gaddigodam.
In the recent past, fresh encroachments have come up in 11 acre land in khasra numbers 108, 109, 107 and on 105/2 behind Wox Cooler factory on Koradi road. Gwalbanshi's men said that over 300 more houses will come up in the area once encroachments near Dobinagar (Pachpaoli) are removed.
Nearby residents say the encroachers have no identity or credentials. Many of the youths in the slum are involved in all sorts of illegal activities like stealing, selling narcotics and brewing illicit liquor. There has been a spurt in theft cases after the slums came up in the area. Koradi police however seem to be mute spectators.
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