Dry in Dadar

A well at the Seth Rustomji Nusserwanji Rustom Faramna Agiary compound that is running dry is slowing down the forthcoming navar program, informs Nasha Jassawalla, managing trustee of the Agiary. "I am telling applicant families that if they can use another agiary they should do so,” he said. Speaking to Parsiana on April 10, 2017, Jassawalla noted that there is only about three to four feet of water left. "We can see the bottom,” he added. Geotechnical engineer Shahrokh Bagli, also a resident of the Mancherji Joshi Colony at Dadar has advised the trustees to "wait and watch till the end of the monsoon, after which, if things do not improve, they ‘will have to dig deeper.’”

Photos: Jasmine D. Driver

The well has run dry for the first time in its 89-year history, compelling the trustees to rely on water tankers. A pipe from their municipal supply also adds to the water in the well, reported The Times of India (TOI) dated April 27.
The TOI report stated that the "waters suddenly receded… in the span of a few days.” Bagli told the newspaper that the problem occurred due to ‘dewatering,’ which the report elucidates, is the draining of ground water or surface water, usually by pumping, in order to permit excavation and construction. Two construction sites are near the place of worship "and from our observations, the one closer to the Agiary is doing the dewatering,” according to Bagli. The municipal authorities while concurring with this view, add "there is no direct proof,” according to the report.
Zarine Engineer, member of Mancherji Edalji Joshi Colony Residents’ Association is fearful that dewatering could affect the older buildings in the colony which have shallow foundations. A number of 10-storey-plus buildings which would require deep foundations are under construction in the Colony. "If the builders and engineers are more careful, spend a little more money and use the right techniques, there won’t be a problem,” according to Bagli.