A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Calcutta High Court seeking restoration of drinking water supply to Jyotinagar Colony in north Kolkata, where residents allege that municipal water connections have remained non-functional for nearly three months.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam filed the petition on Friday, seeking restoration of access to drinking water for around 5,000 residents of the colony.
Residents Allege Prolonged Water Disruption
Jyotinagar Colony, located in Ward No. 6 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in the old Cossipore area, is a decades-old settlement situated close to the Ganga.
The locality is predominantly inhabited by economically disadvantaged families, many of whom work as van drivers or collect recyclable materials for a livelihood.
According to local residents, the public tap water supply was allegedly stopped towards the end of last month and has remained disrupted for around three months. Residents claim the prolonged shortage has created serious difficulties in accessing water for drinking, cooking and other essential daily needs.
The locality is also home to a mosque and a madrasa, while many residents continue to use wood-burning stoves for cooking. Residents say the disruption has placed an additional burden on families already struggling with limited resources.
Residents Also Raise Concerns Over Street Lighting
According to residents, the alleged civic disruption is not limited to drinking water. They claim that street lighting in parts of the colony has also been disconnected, leaving the area in darkness after sunset.
Residents have expressed concern over safety along the riverside road, where trucks, lorries and other vehicles reportedly pass throughout the day. They fear that inadequate lighting could increase the risk of accidents, particularly for children and elderly residents.
Samirul Islam Says PIL Seeks Basic Right to Water
Speaking to The Observer Post, Samirul Islam said the PIL was intended to address what he described as the basic right of residents to access drinking water.
“I have filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Calcutta High Court. It is not about enrolling names in the voter list, but about restoring the right to drinking water for approximately 5,000 slum residents. Water is synonymous with life,” Islam stated.
The MP alleged that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had stopped supplying water to the colony and claimed that residents had been left without adequate drinking water for more than two months.
“Unfortunately, that precious drinking water has been denied to a specific section of people because the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has stopped the water supply to Jyotinagar Colony,” he alleged.
MP Alleges Religious Discrimination
Islam further alleged that the disruption was linked to the religious identity of the residents and claimed that the water supply was stopped after the BJP came to power.
“Is this what development looks like, where access to drinking water depends on religion? We have faith in our judicial system and hope to receive proper justice,” he added.
