OCW is supplying water at 2-metre pressure, required force 12–16 metres
1
2
Nagpur: Even as residents across Nagpur continue to suffer from dismal water supply — with pressure as low as 1 to 2 metres in several areas as against required 12–16 metres — Orange City Water Pvt Ltd (OCW) reportedly skipped a high-level review meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently.
The firm's no-show, despite a formal invite from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) water works department, has further angered senior leadership and is being seen as an act of defiance.
TOI earlier reported that Fadnavis directed NMC to begin the process to terminate OCW's contract. A senior civic official confirmed that the order is now being legally vetted to ensure it stands if challenge. "This time, the termination is being done formally and our legal team is involved to avoid any procedural flaws," the official said.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari, present at Sunday's meeting, came down heavily on OCW's longstanding failures, particularly its refusal to increase water pressure. "OCW is supplying water at barely 1–2 metres pressure in many areas. The OCW claims pipelines will burst if pressure is raised to the required 12–16 metres. This only shows OCW's failure to upgrade infrastructure or maintain it," said an official quoting Gadkari.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Cuối cùng, chơi miễn phí game chiến thuật hay nhất 2025!
Sea of Conquest
Phát ngay
Undo
Despite operating Nagpur's 24x7 water supply scheme for over a decade, the OCW failed to address the persistent problem of low pressure and uneven supply. Large parts of North and East Nagpur continue to suffer, with water being supplied for just 2–3 hours daily. Many localities remain dependent on water tankers.
NMC had asked OCW to convert low-pressure "red zones" into "green zones" by fixing leakages, removing illegal connections, and deploying real-time pressure monitoring systems.
However, there has been negligible progress.
OCW's absence from the CM's review meet has only hardened the administration's stance. "The OCW was informed and expected to attend. Absence of anyone from the OCW at this crucial juncture is unacceptable and only justifies the need for its removal," said another senior official.
Superintending engineer (water works) Shweta Banerjee confirmed that OCW officials were invited for the meeting, but none was present.
OCW officials were not available for comments.
Notably, Nagpur receives over 750 million litres per day (MLD) from Kanhan and Pench sources, yet non-revenue water — losses due to leakages and theft — remains at over 40%, exposing deep inefficiencies in OCW's operations.
With Gadkari and Fadnavis aligned on the issue and the termination process already underway, OCW's days in Nagpur appear numbered unless it delivers a swift and verifiable turnaround.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
Eight fishermen arrested by Lanka: Stalin tells Centre, seeks action
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday conveyed to the Centre that 8 fishermen have been arrested by Sri Lanka and sought its intervention to ensure their safe return. Writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Stalin said: "I wish to draw your urgent attention to a matter of grave concern affecting the livelihood and safety of Indian fishermen, particularly those from Tamil Nadu." The CM said it has been reported that the Sri Lankan authorities on June 29, 2025 apprehended 8 fishermen from Rameswaram and seized their mechanised fishing boat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Such incidents lead to loss of boats and equipment, prolonged detentions, and cause a heavy psychological toll for the affected families. "I request your early intervention to ensure the safe repatriation of the apprehended fishermen and their boat." Live Events With the annual fishing ban period now over and the season having just resumed, fishermen returned to the sea with hopes of earning their livelihoods. "Considering that the fishing season has just begun, I urge the Ministry to initiate proactive diplomatic engagement with the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure restraint and mutual understanding in the handling of fishing-related issues."
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
EC to upload 2003 Bihar voter list; 4.96 crore won't need fresh documents
The Election Commission will soon upload the 2003 Bihar electoral roll on its website to facilitate the nearly 4.96 crore voters whose names figure on it extract the relevant portion to be attached with the enumeration form for the special intensive revision of the voters' list. According to the instructions issued by the poll authority to its Bihar poll machinery, the 4.96 crore voters -- 60 per cent of the total electors -- who were listed in the 2003 special intensive revision need not submit any supporting document to establish their date or place or birth except the relevant portion of the electoral roll brought out after the revision. The other three crore -- nearly 40 per cent -- will have to provide one of the 11 listed documents to establish their place or date of birth. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo "The basic exercise is to identify each and every individual of the remaining three crore voters before their names are included in the list," a functionary explained. The special intensive revision will ensure that no eligible elector is left out of the electoral rolls and no ineligible one is part of it, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar told PTI on Sunday. Live Events Bihar, as of now, has more than 7.89 crore voters spread across 243 assembly seats. Polls in the state are due later this year. According to EC instructions, the electoral registration officer (ERO) of each assembly constituency will be responsible for ensuring that "no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible person is included in the electoral roll" while carrying out the revision. The EROs will satisfy themselves regarding the eligibility of every person before entering their name in the electoral roll. The EC said every existing elector, as on the date, will be provided available an enumeration form through a booth level officer (BLO). The elector can download the enumeration form from a dedicated website. The BLO will collect a copy of the enumeration form and sign the acknowledgement of receipt on the second copy to be retained by the existing elector. Based on the enumeration forms received, along with documents, the ERO will prepare the draft roll. The last intensive revision in Bihar was done in 2003, with January 1, 200,3, as the qualifying date. "As the eligibility of electors enrolled in the electoral rolls after the last intensive revision was established then, the Commission has decided that such electors need not attach any additional document alongwith the enumeration form, except the extract of the roll. "Thus, CEO/DEO/ERO shall make the electoral rolls with a qualifying date of 01.01.2003 freely available to all BLOs in hard copу, as well as online on their website for anyone to download and use as documentary evidence while submitting their enumeration form," the poll panel said. As part of the intense revision, poll officials will carry out house-to-house verification to ensure an error-free voters' list. The terms of the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are ending in May-June next year, and an intensive revision of the electoral rolls in these states will commence by the end of the year, officials said. However, since assembly polls in Bihar are due later this year, the EC decided to conduct the revision there immediately. Amid allegations by opposition parties that the EC has fudged voter data to help the BJP, the poll panel has taken additional steps in the intensive revision to ensure illegal migrants do not get enrolled in the voters' list. An additional 'declaration form' has been introduced for a category of applicants seeking to become electors or shifting from outside the state. They will have to undertake that they were born in India before July 1, 1987, and provide any document establishing the date of birth and/or place of birth. One of the options listed in the declaration form is that they were born in India between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004. They will also have to submit documents about the date and place of birth of their parents. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in 2003. The EC said multiple reasons, such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of the exercise to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor: Congress renews 'India lost jets' claim, says 'Modi government compromised national security'
NEW DELHI: Congress on Sunday latched on to the remarks of Captain Shiv Kumar to rake up its attack on the government, accusing it of failing to disclose aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor . In a social media post on X, Congress leader Pawan Khera cited India's defence attaché to Indonesia and claimed that "Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan only because of the constraint given by the political leadership. " "In another shocking revelation by Capt. Shiv Kumar, it has emerged that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of May 7, 2025, during its targeting of Pakistan's terror-linked sites — only because of the constraint given by the political leadership," Khera said. "This is a direct indictment of the Modi government, particularly defence minister Rajnath Singh. No wonder they are ducking our demand for a Special Session of Parliament like the plague. They know they've compromised national security, and they're terrified of what the Congress Party will expose before the people of India," he added. This comes after India's defence attaché to Indonesia, Captain (Indian Navy) Shiv Kumar, reportedly said that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of May 7 during its targeting of Pakistan's terror-linked sites. Shiv Kumar said that even though he 'may not agree that we lost so many aircraft, I do agree we did lose some aircraft.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces General Anil Chauhan categorically rejected Pakistan's claims that it had shot down six Indian warplanes during Operation Sindoor, calling the information "absolutely incorrect." The CDS added that "what is important is not the jet being downed, but why they were being downed." "The good part is that we were able to understand the tactical mistake we made, remedy it, rectify it, and then implement it again after two days — and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range," General Chauhan said during an interview with Bloomberg TV when asked about Pakistan's claims. "What is important is not the jet being downed, but why they were downed," the CDS said, adding: "Why they were downed, what mistakes were made — those are important... Numbers are not important." Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, targeting terror bases in Pakistan in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
