Residents of the Ganga New Town housing project in Dhanori, Pune, protested outside the developer’s sales office on October 24, alleging that foul-smelling blackish-yellow water, an inadequately functioning sewage treatment plant and disputed electricity bills have continued despite repeated complaints over the past 18 months.
The protest involved women, senior citizens and other residents who said the project, developed by Goyal Ganga Group, had failed to provide reliable basic services after buyers paid substantial sums for their homes. Residents demanded immediate inspections by the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, along with permanent corrective measures.
Residents alleged that water supplied through taps was discoloured, strongly foul-smelling and, in some instances, contained live larvae. They said the condition was creating concerns for children, women and senior citizens. Some residents also reported skin problems, hair loss, urinary infections and stomach-related complaints. However, the report did not establish a medical link between these health problems and the water supplied at the project.
Residents further alleged that the sewage treatment plant had not been functioning effectively for about 18 months. Atmaram Naik, a member of the society’s STP committee, said residents approached the pollution control board after the water problems began and alleged that the system promised by the developer had not been installed, with a different technology being used instead. The allegation has not been independently verified.
Residents said they had held at least seven or eight meetings with the developer’s representatives during the past year and a half. According to the residents’ committee, each meeting was followed by assurances that repairs or new equipment would be completed within two or three months, but the problems persisted. They also alleged that around five water tankers were used daily and that relatively clean water was brought in during periods when inspections or protests were expected. The report said this claim and the exact use of the tanker water had not been independently verified.
The dispute also covers electricity billing. Residents alleged that separate authorised electricity meters had not been installed in several flats in buildings C1, C2 and C3. Instead, shared meters were reportedly used for the buildings, while residents were billed without transparent calculations based on individual consumption. Some residents said they had been asked to pay Rs 2,000 or more, including occupants who were not living in their flats.
Residents also raised questions about possession documents, the formal handover of the society and its facilities, and maintenance charges. They alleged that the society had begun carrying out maintenance work and collecting funds while the developer continued to demand maintenance payments. Some residents said the absence of official electricity bills had made it difficult to update addresses on Aadhaar and provide proof of residence for government documents.
Gunjun Goyal, a director of Goyal Ganga Developments, rejected the residents’ allegations as baseless. She said some residents were attempting to involve the developer in false allegations and claimed that the reported problems had been resolved, while certain matters remained pending with the Pune Municipal Corporation.
Residents have asked the civic body and the pollution control board to independently inspect the STP and water-treatment systems, verify tanker use and operating records, test water samples, provide laboratory reports and check whether the project’s sanitation infrastructure complies with applicable rules.
