Pune: Tanker Owner Arrested for Supplying Contaminated STP Water to Kharadi Society for Drinking
Kharadi, 5th January 2025: A shocking case of water contamination has surfaced in Pune, as a tanker businessman allegedly supplied sewage treatment plant (STP) water to residents of Nyati Elysia Society in Kharadi, leading to a health crisis among the residents. The contaminated water, originally intended for construction purposes, caused several residents to suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach aches.
The matter came to light after residents filed complaints with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), prompting an investigation by the authorities.
The tanker businessman, Shrinivas Ramlu Dasari (40), owner of Shriram Water Suppliers, was arrested by the Chandannagar police after an inquiry into the incident. Previously, the driver of the tanker was also arrested. Nitin Jadhav, a junior engineer from the PMC’s Bundgarden Water Supply Department, filed a formal complaint at the Chandannagar police station.
Nyati Elysia Society, a residential complex with 850 flats, has been receiving water from the Municipal Corporation. However, due to an insufficient supply for the growing population, the society contracted Shriram Water Suppliers to deliver additional water via tankers. The tanker business was responsible for delivering 30 to 35 tankers of water every day.
But instead of supplying fresh potable water, Shriram Water Suppliers provided water sourced from the nearby Pune Municipal Corporation’s sewage treatment plant (STP). This water, which is typically used for construction purposes, was distributed to the society for drinking, causing severe health issues among the residents. A meeting was held with the builder and water supplier but even after that corrective measures were not taken.
The situation became apparent when residents, after experiencing symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, raised concerns with Nandkumar Jagtap, head of the Water Supply Department at PMC, on December 23. Subsequently, Junior Engineer Nitin Jadhav and Deputy Engineer Anwar Mulla visited the society to investigate. They took water samples for testing, which confirmed the contamination.
The contaminated water had been supplied to Nyati Elysia Society from October 7 to December 17, during which time residents unknowingly consumed the STP water. Some of the citizens, suspecting foul play, followed the tanker trucks from the STP water plant to the society and recorded video evidence of the suspicious activity.
Following the investigation and the discovery of the contaminated water source, Shrinivas Dasari, the owner of Shriram Water Suppliers, was arrested for endangering public health. A case has been filed against him under the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS) for causing harm to citizens and cheating, according to Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Chavan of Chandannagar police station.
