Mumbai: ‘Would you drink this?’ ask residents of Sunteck West World

Hundreds of people staying at Sunteck West World a recently constructed residential complex in Naigaon East have alleged that the builder failed to ensure they were supplied adequate and clean water and stated that when they protested an FIR was registered against them The complex has around 2500 flats 90 per cent of which are occupied according to residents The dire shortage of water amid the searing summer is making life miserable for residents of the complex where a cooperative housing society is yet to be formedThe occupants of the flats approached midday alleging that the builder has not delivered on promises made while selling the flats He said he was not even providing potable waterA dead cockroach inside a water bottle allegedly provided by the builderldquoQuality water is a basic necessity but the developer Sunteck Realty is supplying an inadequate amount of water and that too through tankers The quality of the water is so bad that it stinks One canrsquot imagine washing utensils or taking a bath with itrdquo said Amit Mishra a Sunteck West World residentAlso Read Mumbai Taps run dry in posh Ghatkopar societyldquoI have been frequently facing typhoidrelated issues due to the regular use of the water provided by the builder I have the medical reports to substantiate my claimsrdquo he addedLarvae floating in a glassldquoWe have made several complaints to the sales office of the builder and met their representatives but all our efforts have been in vain I have approached the local police station to register a complaint against the builder for delivering on the promises made while selling the flats but the cops have not registered a single FIR in this regardrdquo said MishraHe added ldquoOther residents have approached the Valiv police station but the cops did not entertain them eitherrdquoAmit Mishra Sunteck West World residentHis neighbour Pankaj Ghildiyal said ldquoWe had been promised that a municipal corporation pipeline will supply water 24X7 to our flats but that wasnt the case We have been struggling to get potable water for daily userdquoWe are targets say residentsHe added ldquoThe builder is providing tanker water which caused rashes all over my body including both sides of my thighs I had to rush toa dermatologistrdquoSunteck West World in Naigaon East on FridayGhildiyal stated ldquoHundreds of Sunteck West World residents have approached the builderrsquos sales office We have carried out a protest to put forth our genuine demands but the builder registered an FIR against the residents including womenrdquoldquoThose who have been booked in the FIR are scared as those working in multinational companies need to travel out of India and being named in an FIR can spell trouble for them Also residents who are government servants have to make frequent rounds at the court and police station for no reasonrdquo he addedWater allegedly provided by tankersGhildiyal said the residents of Sunteck West World were victims who had protested against the builderrsquos ldquoshoddy work and false promisesrdquo ldquoBut instead of hearing our grievances the victims have been bookedrdquo he allegedThe FIR was registered under Sections 143 147 149 427 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code at Valiv police station And after the formation of a new police station all the documents have been transferred to the Naigaon police stationPankaj Ghildiyal residentldquoThe FIR was an attempt to discourage and scare us when we were raising our voice against the builder who cheated us We have been booked for only demanding potable water which is our fundamental right The builder in connivance with the police booked us to shatter our unityrdquo Ghildiyal told middayIn total 19 residents have been booked 13 of whom are unidentifiedMishra claimed that he had gone to his hometown when the residents of Sunteck West World protested ldquoBut the builder also named me in the FIR I have been falsely implicated in the case I have shown pieces of evidence such as my travel tickets photographs and proof of online payments made to local shopkeepers in my hometown in Uttar Pradesh to the cops requesting them to remove my name from the FIR I have also met Madhukar Pandey the commissioner of Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police to show him the proof that I had been falsely implicated in the case by the builderrdquo Mishra saidHe further alleged that the office of Sunteck Realty has also tried to extern him ldquoSince I have been making several complaints against the builder for their shoddy work and nonsupply of potable water they have tried to start chapter proceeding cases against me so that I can be externed from the area for few yearsrdquo he allegedBuilderrsquos spokesperson saysThe spokesperson of Sunteck Realty said ldquoWhile the company has gone to great lengths to deliver exceptional infrastructure construction at the project and the development has already been granted required occupation certificate OC for the completion of the project sicrdquoThe spokesperson added ldquoItrsquos essential to acknowledge that we donrsquot have any control for providing of water as itrsquos the responsibility of the local body to provide water to the development But we are committed to providing customers a hasslefree lifestyle and are following up with local government body to get the necessary water connection and in the interim providing them with possible solutions The FIR is a complaint lodged with police being aggrieved by some unlawful activity carried out The authority being seized of matter we cannot comment sicrdquoThe Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Pournima ChouguleShringi told midday ldquoThe victims can approach the local police station with the evidence to register an FIR If they think that their grievances are not being heard at the police station level they can approach me I will personally look into the matter and if required the FIR will be registeredrdquoSixNo of IPC sections invoked against residents2500No of flats in complex