No respite from water shortage

By R. Ravikanth Reddy

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 2. The rainy season is yet to be over and summer is far far away. But water scarcity in the city is bringing the memories of summer right now. Or that is the claim of residents of Basant Nagar colony near Kacheguda.

Low pressure is a perennial problem here and so is illegal drawing of water using electrical motors by some influential persons leaving others literally dry. The condition is worsening day by day with people not even willing to rent houses in the area, citing water scarcity, despite the colony being in the heart of the city and all facilities available at a stone's throw away.

"We never got sufficient water and the officials just don't bother to rectify the problem despite scores of representations", says, Mr. Satyanarayana Rao, a retired forest officer. The residents have dug up pits five to six feet down to place their taps to get water with some pressure and they literally look like security bunkers on the borders. "Despite this all we get is four or five pots of water. Its been years since we saw taps flowing at the ground level and the situation is deteriorating day by day", says a resident.

Its not that officials have failed to notice the problem but the callousness and the oft-repeated funds shortage are the major obstacles. "The problem here is they don't know what they want to do. Why don't they plan on a long-term basis", questions, another resident.

Mr. Satyanarayana questions the inability of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). "The Board draws 145 million gallons daily. If the estimated population is 60 lakhs then each person should get around 110 litres of water daily. But we get only half of that. Where is the remaining water going", he asks.

"Either the rich and influential or the unmetered houses draw the remaining water. Is it a punishment for us for paying the bills promptly", Mr. Rao questions. He is critical of the Government stating that what is the Government for if it can't even provide adequate drinking water. "We are not demanding money or food".

The officials cite that the colony is in an elevated area and that is the primary reason for low pressure. But Mr. Rao counters asking them do they really have any plan to counter that. He wants to know whether the Government has recognised it as a problem or not. "If the state of affairs is an indication, it doesn't consider water scarcity as a problem at all. So where will the solution come from", he asks. A question that really raises lot of questions!

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Section  : Southern States
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