Pune: A tanker operator supplying treated wastewater to the Nyati Elysia Society in Kharadi was arrested after a case was filed against him at the Chandan Nagar Police Station by the Pune Municipal Corporation.
The tanker operator identified as Shrinivas Dasari, has been remanded to judicial custody. The second accused, Ajay Dasari, who is reported to be outside Pune, has not yet been acted upon.
According to a complaint filed by Nitin Jadhav, a junior engineer from the municipal corporation, the residents of Nyati Elysia Society had been receiving water from a private supplier, Shriram Water Supplier. However, the water was of poor quality, causing several residents to fall ill.
The residents decided to investigate and followed the tanker to find that the water was being sourced from the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Kharadi. When confronted about the source of the water, the operator allegedly began to bully the residents.
In response to the incident, PMC has reinforced its regulation requiring STP water tankers to be painted green and display a warning message stating, "This is treated water and is not safe for drinking." Officials instructed that only green-painted tankers bearing this message will be allowed to fill water from STPs.
