Power Cable Work Contaminated Drinking Water in Prabhat Nagar, NMC Tells HC Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) disclosed to the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench that power cable-laying work by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) damaged two water connections passing through a sewer chamber in Prabhat Nagar, leading to contamination of the drinking water supply. The disclosure came during a hearing of a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated after reports highlighted contaminated water in multiple parts of the city. The court adjourned the case until September 8, with Ishika Mahadule assisting as amicus curiae and Gemini Kasat representing NMC. According to the affidavit filed by NMC and Orange City Water (OCW), two 15mm-diameter water connections were damaged during MSEDCL’s cable-laying operations in Prabhat Nagar. The damaged connections, which passed through a sewer chamber, allowed sewage to mix with the water supply. The affected pipeline was repaired, flushed, and the water supply was restored. Water samples collected from consumers’ taps were tested at the public health laboratory, and a report dated February 9, 2026, confirmed the water was safe for consumption after remedial measures were implemented. The affidavit also outlined broader concerns about water quality in Nagpur. Between January 2025 and March 2026, authorities tested 26,671 water samples, of which 208 were found unfit for drinking. In February 2026 alone, eight of 1,683 tested samples failed quality checks, while 323 complaints of contaminated water were received. A meeting chaired by the mayor identified contaminated water supply in over 50 settlements across nine of the city’s 10 zones, potentially affecting approximately four lakh residents.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_municipal_corporation #orange_city_water #prabhat_nagar
