The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Bottled water up for grabs here

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Sunday, May 03, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Bottled water up for grabs here

J.S. Ifthekhar

Old city facing water crisis is ready to buy the commodity for any price

At Barkas, water cans placed for sale in a row is common sight
Unlicensed water filter plants at Hashimabad operating from homes

Hyderabad: Water is a free commodity. But in the scarcity-hit old city, the elixir of life comes with a price tag: Rs. 15 for 20 litre can. Unscrupulous elements are making mega bucks out of human suffering. In Barkas, Errakunta, Sadatnagar, Shaheen Nagar and surrounding areas, packaged water is the fastest moving product on the shelf.

These areas are reeling under a severe water shortage. For most of the residents the day begins and ends with endless struggle for water. A large number of houses here do not have water connection and have to necessarily depend on public taps. Such is the chaos here that fetching water is often a test of endurance.

Therefore, many prefer to buy water rather than waste time here. Cashing in on the demand, some people have started selling water in 20 litre cans for Rs. 15. These canisters are being palmed off as mineral water although it is borewell water.

Along with the rising mercury, the misery of the people also rises in these parts. “There is such a long queue at the public taps that I prefer to buy the cans for drinking purpose”, says Syed Kareem of Shaheen Nagar. Some people are also buying the bottled water for bathing purpose as the bore water is considered harmful. After crossing the CRPF headquarters at Barkas, one can see the water cans along the road placed in neat rows in front of kirana stores. “We sell about 100 cans a day”, says a young boy at a provision store in Errakunta. Some of the canisters carry labels and the MRP is mentioned as Rs. 50. But the going rate is only Rs. 15. If the water is purchased along with the can then it cost Rs. 135.

At least a dozen water filter plants have sprung up in Hashimabad near Chandrayangutta.

These plants do not have any licence and operate illegally from homes, it is said. Water Board officials admit that the distribution network is not strong in these areas and as such there is supply problem. “Some people might be collecting tap water and selling it in bottles”, says M. Satyanaryana, director (Technical), HMWSSB.

But the Board doesn’t seem to have any solution to the water woes in old city.

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