It is peak summer with the temperature hovering above 40 degrees Celsius, and in spite of having a legal drinking water connection, Obedullah Irfani has to buy water at Rs.35 for two 25-litre can regularly. Like him, several other residents in some areas of Bholakpur are still forced to make alternative arrangements as they receive polluted water from their municipal connections, while others face irregular supply.
“Every eight days they (HMWSSB workers) clean the drainage lines, which are when the water supplied is clean. And again once the sewerage becomes full, we get polluted water,” said Putli Begum, who resides in the Pardah Gali of Bholakpur. To add to her woes, the water supply at her house has also become irregular, leaving her with no choice but to depend on relatives to give her drinking water. “The area manager is useless. In spite of complaining so many times to the Water Board we are being forced to buy water. What is the point of having a legal connection if they supply polluted water?” questioned Mr. Irfani. Like others, he too believes that the sewerage and water lines are mixed up at some point due to which residents get dirty water through their connections.
In May 2009, 14 people died after consuming polluted water which was supplied through the municipal connection. And more than seven years later, the situation hasn’t changed for the residents in the areas of Siddiq Nagar, Pardah Gali, Gulshan Nagar, Allama Khadir Street and some localities in the Bangladesh market area.
The problem has also led to many children falling ill in Bholakpur, as they consume the polluted water unknowingly, said Nasreen Begum, a housewife. “Earlier we used to get dirty water for about 10 minutes after which it would be clean. But now, even if the water is clear, it still has a foul smell , which means it is not fit for consumption,” she added. And the blazing temperature this summer also makes it harder for the women in Bholakpur to get water from elsewhere. Men going out on their bikes to get water from municipal taps outside the area is a common sight now. And for those like Mohd. Asif, who lives in Tajir Nagar, their problems have been compounded with intermittent supply for the last two months. “We have paid our bills and our connections are legal. The line is the same, but only half the houses get water, while others don’t. And when we do get water, it is often polluted,” lamented Asif. Mohd. When contacted, a senior official said that the tannery industry in Bholakpur is responsible for the water getting polluted. “The waste from that industry is responsible for the situation there, and it has to be shifted. We send our men regularly to clean the drainage lines in all those areas,” he added.
