IMC seizes illegal pumps, fines errant tanker operators

Indore: To mitigate city’s severe water shortage, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has started requisitioning private hydrants, technical upgradation of failing public borewells and initiated enforcement actions like seizure of unauthorized motor pumps.

Official data shows that approximately 30% of Indore’s municipal area lacks access to the Narmada tap water pipeline network, leaving these sectors dependant on groundwater. About 50% of city’s 6,500 government borewells have dried up due to dropping water tables, with private borewells experiencing similar depletion.

To offset these distribution gaps, IMC has requested a Rs 50 crore financial package from the state government to strengthen urban supply infrastructure.

“While the city’s population continues to grow, the baseline volume of water received from the Narmada river has remained static, despite the IMC constructing 28 new water tanks over the past three years” Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said.

IMC additional commissioner Ashish Pathak told TOI that the civic body has established 22 new hydrants over a four-day period. IMC has also finalised agreements with owners of 65 private hydrants to secure 50% of their capacity to replenish the city’s active fleet of 700 municipal tankers. In areas where low water tables prevent standard operations, IMC is replacing burnt-out or low-capacity borewell motors with higher-powered units and installing deeper riser pipelines.

The civic body has also formed field squads to confiscate inline motorized suction pumps used by residents to draw water illegally from the main Narmada supply lines. It has intensified tracking protocols across all distributing vehicles to prevent unauthorized sale of public water resources.

A tractor-tanker operated by Asha Enterprises was found selling municipal water to residents under the guise of a private supplier near Rani Sati Gate recently. The vehicle lacked mandatory IMC free-distribution labelling. The tanker was impounded, and the vendor was fined Rs 25,000.

In Lasudia Mori, two undocumented tankers operating under Sai Kripa Enterprises were found working without official registration plates or compliance stickers. The administrative head issued a combined penalty of Rs 20,000 against the firm.

Pointers

Out of Reach

30% of Indore’s municipal area lacks access to Narmada tap water pipeline network

50% of city’s 6,500 govt borewells have dried up due to dropping water tables; private borewells face similar issue

Rs 50 crore aid sought by IMC from state govt to strengthen urban supply infrastructure