Water Wastage Complaint at Bhabha Sanatorium Compound

Date

May 8, 2012

Post by

arZan

Category

Bombay | Mumbai

200 ways to waste water

For three months, allege residents, a Bandra family has been committing water carnage by pouring upto 200 litres of water out of their fourth floor flat for no reason; BMC engineer says action will be taken

By Shailesh Bhatia | Mid-Day

Even as Mid Day reported the acute scarcity of potable water in Thane villages which led to the death of a tribal woman, and the fact of individuals there surviving on just three litres of water per month (‘Thane, where water is a luxury’ April 26, 2012), this reporter came upon an instance of a Bandra family wasting upto 200 litres of water every day, for no apparent reason.

SMD witnessed a woman deliberately pour a thick stream of water from a pipe from her fourth floor flat onto the compound below on Saturday morning.
The act, witnessed at Bhabha Sanatorium, which is two buildings away from actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Bungalow Mannat at Bandstand, continued for an hour-and-a-half, which ultimately resulted in a puddle that overflowed onto the adjacent sea-facing road.

SMD saw 53 year-old Sana Irani deliberately pouring a thick stream of water from a pipe from her fourth floor flat onto the compound below on Saturday morning for an hour and a half. PICS/ Shailesh Bhatia

Upon questioning, locals revealed that this is a daily ritual that has been going on for over three months, by the owner of the house, 53 year-old Sana Irani, and her tenant, 25 year-old Firdosh Patel. The water carnage, we were told, begins at 7.30 am and ends at 9 am, when the building watchmen shuts the overhead tank valve.

“We have tried reasoning with Sana, but were rebuffed. We estimate that about 200 litres of water is wasted every day, which, as far as I know, will be enough to cater to the needs of a family of about 10 individuals,” said Sarosh Talati (name changed on request), a resident of the sanatorium.
Talati added that their area is already facing a scarcity of water, and a majority of the buildings, including theirs, get water for only two hours a day.

Themton Govadia, manager of the sanatorium, said he was aware of the practice. “The Parsi Punchayet ends up paying approximately Rs 30,000 per month as water taxes to the BMC,” he rued.

SMD saw 53 year-old Sana Irani deliberately pouring a thick stream of water from a pipe from her fourth floor flat onto the compound below on Saturday morning for an hour and a half. PICS/ Shailesh Bhatia

Armaity Kirandaz, a senior member of the Parsi Punchayet, which is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the sanatorium, informed us that the matter has been scheduled for discussion in their next committee. “We will discuss options to tackle this menace,” he said.

When we appraised J C Patel, assistant engineer (water) of the H (West) ward of the situation, he said his team would be investigating the case on a high-priority basis. “Based on our findings, we will issue a notice to the accused, to explain their stand, before taking any deterrent action like imposing fines or initiating legal action.”

When we contacted Irani, she called the practice a necessity to maintain hygine. “We do not have a roof on our balcony, which results in pigeons and crows dirtying the place. What looks like a compound is actually a terrace on the ground floor. With no housekeeping facilities, what choice do I have? I can’t climb four floors up and down to sweep it,” she said.

She alleged that those complaining, held a grudge against her. “I am called filthy names by my neighbours, who use buckets of water to clean their balconies and even drain out gallons of water every day from the overhead water tanks, which are fitted in their flats,” she said.

22 Comments

  1. Samutell

    shame on us Parsees.

  2. Samutell

    shame on us Parsees.

  3. Samutell

    shame on us Parsees.

  4. Aapro wellwisher

    Have our Parsi brethen gone Crazy just because they get most accomodation  ”almost Free” since decades?????
     Free Education is the need of the Day, not free Housing-!!!!—-

  5. Aapro wellwisher

    Have our Parsi brethen gone Crazy just because they get most accomodation  “almost Free” since decades?????
     Free Education is the need of the Day, not free Housing-!!!!—-

  6. Aapro wellwisher

    Have our Parsi brethen gone Crazy just because they get most accomodation  “almost Free” since decades?????
     Free Education is the need of the Day, not free Housing-!!!!—-

  7. Phiroze

    Seems this particular Irani has gone crazy and needs free psychaitric help.

  8. Phiroze

    Seems this particular Irani has gone crazy and needs free psychaitric help.

  9. Phiroze

    Seems this particular Irani has gone crazy and needs free psychaitric help.

  10. Vispygadiwalla

    daer well wisher who told you that the house is for free and secondly it is the duty of the manager and the panchayat to tke action where as they all are cowards with their tails brtween their legs. why dont you ask the BPP to take action

  11. Vispygadiwalla

    daer well wisher who told you that the house is for free and secondly it is the duty of the manager and the panchayat to tke action where as they all are cowards with their tails brtween their legs. why dont you ask the BPP to take action

  12. Vispygadiwalla

    daer well wisher who told you that the house is for free and secondly it is the duty of the manager and the panchayat to tke action where as they all are cowards with their tails brtween their legs. why dont you ask the BPP to take action

  13. ThinkingWoman

    This kind of washing is done in many parts of Mumbai.  It is not just Pasi community alone.  Generally it is done by people who have nothing better to do – regardless of which community they belong to.  In my building there are 4 families that wash their balconies and windows everyday in this manner.   One is a punjabi family, one is a gujarati family, two others are north indian families.  So it appears to be a widespread problem and it is catching.  First the punjabi family started doing this and others are following suit.   Does it take 20 buckets of water to wash a chajja space everyday?   Multiply that by 4 chajjas and 2 bathroom windows  times 4 families.  Guess how much water is being wasted?   They will not listen to anyone offering them advice/solutions.  The managing committee is helpless.  We face water problem in our area also and get only 3 hours supply.  Still it goes down the drain like this until the water is turned off by the watchman.   If people have a problem of pigeon droppings they should get nets placed on their balconies/chajja space/ terrace.  This kind of criminal waste of water warrants police action. 

  14. ThinkingWoman

    This kind of washing is done in many parts of Mumbai.  It is not just Pasi community alone.  Generally it is done by people who have nothing better to do – regardless of which community they belong to.  In my building there are 4 families that wash their balconies and windows everyday in this manner.   One is a punjabi family, one is a gujarati family, two others are north indian families.  So it appears to be a widespread problem and it is catching.  First the punjabi family started doing this and others are following suit.   Does it take 20 buckets of water to wash a chajja space everyday?   Multiply that by 4 chajjas and 2 bathroom windows  times 4 families.  Guess how much water is being wasted?   They will not listen to anyone offering them advice/solutions.  The managing committee is helpless.  We face water problem in our area also and get only 3 hours supply.  Still it goes down the drain like this until the water is turned off by the watchman.   If people have a problem of pigeon droppings they should get nets placed on their balconies/chajja space/ terrace.  This kind of criminal waste of water warrants police action. 

  15. ThinkingWoman

    This kind of washing is done in many parts of Mumbai.  It is not just Pasi community alone.  Generally it is done by people who have nothing better to do – regardless of which community they belong to.  In my building there are 4 families that wash their balconies and windows everyday in this manner.   One is a punjabi family, one is a gujarati family, two others are north indian families.  So it appears to be a widespread problem and it is catching.  First the punjabi family started doing this and others are following suit.   Does it take 20 buckets of water to wash a chajja space everyday?   Multiply that by 4 chajjas and 2 bathroom windows  times 4 families.  Guess how much water is being wasted?   They will not listen to anyone offering them advice/solutions.  The managing committee is helpless.  We face water problem in our area also and get only 3 hours supply.  Still it goes down the drain like this until the water is turned off by the watchman.   If people have a problem of pigeon droppings they should get nets placed on their balconies/chajja space/ terrace.  This kind of criminal waste of water warrants police action. 

  16. Phiroze

    Bring it to the attention of your BMC ward officer and your area elected MLA / MLC

  17. Phiroze

    Bring it to the attention of your BMC ward officer and your area elected MLA / MLC

  18. Phiroze

    Bring it to the attention of your BMC ward officer and your area elected MLA / MLC

  19. xyz

    BPP is suppose to look after this sanatorium. Manager staying there is totally useless. BPP trustees are looking at a first available opportunity to ensure that remaining 40 families goes out and they get a full area empty so that they start selling to the builder trustee. We already lost dalal estate at mumbai central like this only. matter is still subjudice in the court. this lady who is wasting water must be stopped immediately from wasting it further. BPP arise and awake from your deep slumber. What is apro sethia and encyclopedia doing ??? is scholar and the accountant trustee sleeping ?? social worker trustees are also in deep slumber.

  20. xyz

    BPP is suppose to look after this sanatorium. Manager staying there is totally useless. BPP trustees are looking at a first available opportunity to ensure that remaining 40 families goes out and they get a full area empty so that they start selling to the builder trustee. We already lost dalal estate at mumbai central like this only. matter is still subjudice in the court. this lady who is wasting water must be stopped immediately from wasting it further. BPP arise and awake from your deep slumber. What is apro sethia and encyclopedia doing ??? is scholar and the accountant trustee sleeping ?? social worker trustees are also in deep slumber.

  21. xyz

    BPP is suppose to look after this sanatorium. Manager staying there is totally useless. BPP trustees are looking at a first available opportunity to ensure that remaining 40 families goes out and they get a full area empty so that they start selling to the builder trustee. We already lost dalal estate at mumbai central like this only. matter is still subjudice in the court. this lady who is wasting water must be stopped immediately from wasting it further. BPP arise and awake from your deep slumber. What is apro sethia and encyclopedia doing ??? is scholar and the accountant trustee sleeping ?? social worker trustees are also in deep slumber.

  22. Phiroze

    xyz, why don’t you take over the management of the sanatorium??????