It has been 88 days since the residents of Jyotinagar colony, also known as ‘Molla para‘ or Muslim colony, in north Kolkata’s Cossipore, have been waiting for water. The five public taps, which are the source of water to serve hundreds of families, have run dry, creating a peril in the lives of the residents.
The residents of the colony, which constitutes around 95% Muslim, sustain informal jobs, and the crisis has turned their lives into a daily struggle for survival. Residents have allegedly approached the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), police, and other authorities only to find no solution.
“It has been so many days, and the water supply still hasn’t been restored. Our case has been going on for so long, and we are facing a lot of difficulties,” Alamgir Biswas, secretary of the Jyotinagar Colony, told FoEJ Media.
“We go to the river to wash our clothes, but when the water level rises, we worry that the children might fall into it, as they don’t know how to swim,” he said.
“The women here are working too, and all of us are poor. If we have to walk such a long distance to fetch water, it becomes difficult for them to get to work. The children have also been unable to attend school for many days,” he added.
“Different organizations are providing us with water, but there is still no water coming through the taps. And how much water can they provide us, after all?” Alamgir said.
“We are developing skin allergies because of the river water,” he said.
How it All Started
Residents recall that the water supply was cut after KMC workers carried out pipeline repairs between 27 and 29 July. On 29 July, water stopped suddenly at around 11:30 PM.
“Pipeline work was underway, and they had dug two pits, one at the entrance to the slum and another at the other end, effectively marking its boundaries. On July 28, the water supply was cut off around 11 pm. The following morning, we waited for the supply to be restored, but it has not been resumed since,” the resident eariler told FoEJ Media.
Electricity disruption was also accompanied by the water; however, electricity was reported in 12-15 days.
“The electricity supply was also cut off along with the water, but it was restored within 12 to 15 days,” the resident said.
Residents in other reports have also alleged that the water crisis is linked to the remarks of the BJP MLA Ritesh Tiwari, who alleged that he would not work for minorities who did not vote for him. “Today, in front of Baba Bholenath, I swear, I will not do one job for them (Muslims) in the next five years. Will not issue any certificate for them. I am saying this live. I do not care about what anyone else says or thinks,” Tiwari said after following the election results.
However, denying that the crisis is linked to the identity, Tiwari said, “There was maintenance work that was done in the pipeline. That might have caused some problems. We came to know about the incident. We are looking into the matter,” the National Herald reported.
Meanwhile, State Congress president Suvankar Sarkar said, “There is a Jain college just at the border of this locality, and I think the BJP is trying to drive these people from this area and give the land to them. Or they might also plan to give the area to a big promoter, as the land is very lucrative. We are with the people and will stand by them.”
“When I arrived here today, our District Congress, which is always with these people, was already providing water supply, and starting tomorrow, a 12,000-liter tanker from Congress will arrive here; I have come here purely out of humanity for human beings without looking at Hindu or Muslim, because I see only human beings where on two sides there are Hindu settlements and in the middle a Muslim settlement. This new government’s slogan was “Fear Out, Trust In,” but the current situation shows that Hindus are also living in fear…” he said, talking to IANS
