Jalkal dept steps in months after dirty water supply to residents

The Jalkal department has finally woken up from its slumber following repeated complaints by residents against a private firm responsible for operating and managing the Aishbagh water treatment plant. Due to alleged negligence on the part of the firm, over 12 lakh residents dependent on this plant had to drink dirty water for about six months despite multiple complaints to the department.

However, the Jalkal department took over the Aishbagh plant on Thursday after getting no response to the repeated notices sent to the private agency over the past six months.

As per Jalkal department norms, cleaning is mandated every two to three days to ensure safe drinking water, but the agency in question failed to conduct routine cleaning, triggering health concerns and widespread public outcry, said Jalkal executive engineer Sachin Yadav.

Yadav said that the plant, which supplies water to Zones 1, 2, 6, 7, and parts of Zone 4 under the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), had not been cleaned even once in more than 30 days.

Residents began complaining of foul-smelling, discoloured, and even muddy water over the past few months. However, their concerns went unaddressed until the issue spiralled into a public health scare.

Confirming the failure on the part of the private firm, Yadav said: “The private agency ignored repeated notices. Their negligence endangered lakhs of lives. We have terminated their contract and taken full control of the plant,” he said.

On Thursday, the Jalkal department carried out a large-scale cleaning and inspection drive at the plant. Teams cleaned critical components, including the chlorination system, pressure filters, pump house, control room, and water treatment tanks. The department also inspected pipelines and flow systems, resolving several technical snags and blockages, according to a release issued by the Jalkal department.

“People deserve clean water. This was a major lapse. We’ve taken control of the Ashbagh water treatment plant, and from now on, our own staff will manage it just like the ones in Balaganj and Kathauta,” Yadav said.

To prevent such negligence in the future, the Jalkal department has installed 71 high-definition CCTV cameras across the Aishbagh facility to monitor operations round the clock. Officials said the footage will be used to track daily cleaning, maintenance, and technical performance in real time.

“The cameras will bring transparency and accountability. Any delay or failure in maintenance will be caught immediately,” said a senior official involved in the operation.

Officials confirmed that similar inspections and cleaning drives would now be extended to other water treatment plants in the city. “Our focus is on routine inspections, strict quality checks, and ensuring that no resident is forced to drink unsafe water ever again,” Singh added.