Residents of a cluster of colonies spread around Bandlaguda in Chandayangutta Assembly constituency continue to be dodged by the problem of water shortage. Pipe water continues to be a pipedream for the people here.
“It is for the last four years that we are coping with the problem but there is no solution,” laments a housewife. The day brings in a new set of problems for the people in absence of any drinking water supply even as the area has become thickly populated.
Residents queue up at the borewells and water tankers to get their share of water. “It is only after a lot of struggle that we manage to get some water. We spend at least a couple of hours every day to collect water,” informs Fatima Bee, an elderly woman from Noorinagar.
To provide succour to the local people the HMWSSB constructed two reservoirs -- one at Maisaram of 5 million litres (ML) capacity and another at Ghousenagar of 2ML capacity at a cost of Rs. 40 crore.
The Water Board also completed related works like laying a dedicated distribution network and tested the lines about six months ago. But the reservoirs and the lines have not yet been operationalised.
People staying in Noorinagar, Jahangirabad, Ghousenagar, Ahmednagar, Mohammednagar and Ismailnagar areas were to benefit through the move. But the construction of reservoirs’ has not helped them.
As an alternative the Board is deploying water tankers from Aliabad and Mir Alam reservoirs to supply drinking water every day. The tankers make about 50 trips a day and dispense water. And with summer round the corner local people feel the supply will be affected.
Many people bring water from far off places like Chandrayangutta, Shamsheergunj and Mylardevpally in autos and on motorcycles to avoid the long queues at water tankers.
It is no different situation in the areas of Errakunta, Sadatnagar, Shaheen Nagar and surrounding areas. A can of water here is sold for Rs. 15 to Rs. 20.
A large number of houses here do not have water connection and have to necessarily depend on public taps. Bore well water is supplied throughout the year but with the summer already set in water levels are fast depleting.
“Such is the chaos here that fetching water is often a test of endurance. 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.
Cashing upon the lack of safe drinking water many water filter plants have sprung up in Hashimabad and Shaheenagar. These plants do not have any licence and operate illegally from homes, it is said.
