As summer is setting in, Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) is making elaborate arrangements, including repairing borewells, providing temporary water tanks in each ward, laying new pipelines and hiring more water tankers to supply drinking water.
The Board convened a special meeting to discuss these plans and measures to address water woes. Board president Sunil S. Bodhe, asked all elected members to identify places for installing temporary water storage tanks in their wards and submit a report in 10 days.
Most residents, particularly those in slums leave power borewells on after fetching water from them leading to wastage of power and water. Installation of temporary water storage tanks with multiple taps could address this issue, explained the Board authorities.
The Board was told that 32 borewells were sunk in different localities, out of which four failed. Estimates were being prepared for rest of the borewells to connect pipelines for supply of water. It was also decided to construct two underground water sumps at Bolarum overhead tank and Hasmathpet tapping point to store more water.
This apart, to keep a check on illegal drawing of water from pipelines, authorities have identified a few locations such as Ganesh Nagar and lay new pipelines.
Worried over declining groundwater levels, the authorities decided to issue notices to all building owners who failed to construct mandatory rainwater harvesting pits in their houses as per building plans. “After issuing notices, three months time will be given to residents. In case they fail to construct the pits, Rs.5,000 penalty would be levied per year,” said SCB CEO S. Balakrishna.