Residents of posh Sunteck West World in Naigaon East booked by police for protesting against stinking, worm-infested water provided by builder, as 2,500 flats in society still doesn’t have water connection
Residents of Sunteck West World. Pics/Hanif Patel
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 2,500 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 co-operative housing society is yet to be formed.
The occupants of the flats approached mid-day, alleging that the builder has not delivered on promises made while selling the flats. He said he was not even providing potable water.
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A dead cockroach inside a water bottle allegedly provided by the builder
“Quality 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 can’t imagine washing utensils or taking a bath with it,” said Amit Mishra, a Sunteck West World resident.
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“I have been frequently facing typhoid-related issues due to the regular use of the water provided by the builder. I have the medical reports to substantiate my claims,” he added.
Larvae floating in a glass
“We 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 regard,” said Mishra.
He added, “Other residents have approached the Valiv police station, but the cops did not entertain them either.”
Amit Mishra, Sunteck West World resident
His neighbour Pankaj Ghildiyal said, “We had been promised that a municipal corporation pipeline will supply water 24X7 to our flats, but that wasn't the case. We have been struggling to get potable water for daily use.”
We are targets, say residents
He added, “The builder is providing tanker water, which caused rashes all over my body, including both sides of my thighs. I had to rush to
a dermatologist.”
Sunteck West World in Naigaon East on Friday
Ghildiyal stated, “Hundreds of Sunteck West World residents have approached the builder’s sales office. We have carried out a protest to put forth our genuine demands, but the builder registered an FIR against the residents, including women.”
“Those 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 reason,” he added.
Water allegedly provided by tankers
Ghildiyal said the residents of Sunteck West World were victims who had protested against the builder’s “shoddy work and false promises”. “But instead of hearing our grievances, the victims have been booked,” he alleged.
The 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 station.
Pankaj Ghildiyal, resident
“The 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 unity,” Ghildiyal told mid-day.
In total, 19 residents have been booked, 13 of whom are unidentified.
Mishra claimed that he had gone to his hometown when the residents of Sunteck West World protested. “But 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 builder,” Mishra said.
He further alleged that the office of Sunteck Realty has also tried to extern him. “Since I have been making several complaints against the builder for their shoddy work and non-supply of potable water, they have tried to start chapter proceeding cases against me so that I can be externed from the area for few years,” he alleged.
Builder’s spokesperson says
The spokesperson of Sunteck Realty said, “While 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 (sic).”
The spokesperson added, “It’s essential to acknowledge that we don’t have any control for providing of water as it’s the responsibility of the local body to provide water to the development. But we are committed to providing customers a hassle-free 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 (sic).”
The Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Pournima Chougule-Shringi told mid-day, “The 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 registered.”
Six
No. of IPC sections invoked against residents
2,500
No. of flats in complex
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