Around 1,000 families at a residential society in Greater Noida were facing water crisis after its two pump sets became dysfunctional, while around 80 residents who protested against the builder and local authority were booked by the police on Wednesday on charges of rioting.
The events occurred at Supertech Ecovillage II, under Bisrakh police station area, which has 20 high-rise buildings. Water is supplied there by two pump sets installed by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA).
According to the residents, one of the pump sets has been dysfunctional for several days, while the other stopped working on Sunday evening, leading to water shortage.
GNIDA officials said they got one of the pump sets repaired on Wednesday evening and restarted filling the water tanks in each building. However, residents claimed that a single pump set will take a lot of time to fill water for all 20 high-risers.
"We are still depending on water tankers as by the time water is stored in the tank for one building, it gets used up by hundreds of residents. Thirty to forth water tankers are coming in daily and burning holes in our pockets because the money is being charged from the maintenance amount," a resident told PTI.
"People are not being able bathe or use toilets because of water scarcity. The RO water purification systems also running dry. Our children are not being able to go to school," he said, adding 70 people, including women, who protested the water shortage on Tuesday night have been booked by the police.
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According to police, an FIR was registered at the Bisrakh police station under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 341 (wrongful restraint).
"Eight people have been named in the FIR, while 60 to 70 including women are unidentified," a police official said.
"The protesters had gathered near a petrol pump close to Itaida village and blocked road traffic. All this was done while restrictions under CrPC section 151 were in place in view of the Muharram procession," the policeman said.
He said the way traffic was disrupted and people's movement impacted was illegal.
"We tried to pacify the protesters and assured taking up the matter with the builder, but they still continued with the agitation, hence the action was taken," the police official said.
A spokesperson for Supertech said the GNIDA's pumping set had become dysfunctional on Sunday, leading to the trouble and panic, but now it has been fixed and normalcy would return soon.
"The pump got fixed on Tuesday and water supply has begun. There is some shortage today but will be normalised by tonight," the spokesperson told PTI.
According to the residents, by 10 pm Wednesday, one of the pump sets is working and GNIDA officials assured them of getting the other one fixed "soon".