Ludhiana's Ambedkar Nagar reels under water crisis for 15 days, residents fume

With taps running dry for over 15 days, hundreds of families in Ambedkar Nagar in Ludhiana are struggling to arrange water for their daily needs. Residents said they had been forced to fetch water from the Sidhwan Canal, turning a basic household requirement into a daily ordeal.

The locality has 13 lanes and the residents said the shortage was affecting families across the area. They have to carry water from outside for drinking, cooking, washing and other needs.

Residents said bringing water from the Sidhwan Canal was difficult for elderly people and families with children. They had to make repeated trips to get enough water for the day, they said.

Meena Devi, a resident, said families were finding it increasingly difficult to manage their homes without regular water supply. “We have been facing the problem for over 15 days. Every day, we have to think about where we will get water from. Carrying water from the canal is not an easy task,” she said.

Mamta Rani, another resident, said residents were worried even when water occasionally reaches their taps. “Sometimes water comes but it is contaminated and cannot be used for drinking. The residents are left with no option but to get water from outside,” she said.

Another resident, Vicky, said the shortage had exposed the poor condition of civic services in the locality. “People are already dealing with damaged roads and blocked sewerage. Now, there is no proper water supply. The authorities need to visit the area and see the situation themselves,” he said.

Residents said the water crisis was serious as the locality was also facing sewerage-related problems. Several stretches of roads were damaged and sewer lines remain blocked at different points, they said, raising concerns about sanitation and the quality of water reaching households.

The residents said they were worried about health implications of using the contaminated water. They demanded that the Municipal Corporation should check the water supply network, identify the reason for the disruption and restore regular supply at the earliest.

They also urged the civic body to test the water quality before supplying it to the households. The residents said merely restoring the supply would not be enough if contaminated water continues to flow through the taps.

The residents have sought an immediate inspection of the locality by the MC officials and a coordinated solution to the water, sewerage and road-related problems.

Executive Engineer Randeep Singh said: “The matter came to my notice also and I have asked officials to take measures to resolve the same and now, I am asking the Junior Engineer to conduct a special visit along with the officials and address the issues as soon as possible.”