Even before the onset of summer, Malkajgiri, with over one lakh households, is already reeling under water scarcity. While on one hand most places in the city get water supply from Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) everyday or on alternate days, Malkajgiri residents are supplied water once in three or four days. And residents in few areas like Defence Colony and Vinayak Nagar can satiate their thirst only once in eight or some times ten days.
“Last month we got water for only about five times and once water was released during late night, without prior intimation, how can we fill drinking water?” a resident of Saipuri colony in Malkajgiri complained. “Apart from delay in the water supply, there is also problem of irregularity in supply timings. Even if HMWS&SB releases water once in three-four days, there should be regularity in the supply,” she opined.
“Another problem we face is that some colonies collect money and bribe the linemen in return for regular water supply. Colonies that do not pay bribe are often neglected and receive water at irregular timings,” another resident added.
But when most areas in the city are getting water daily, or on alternate days, why is a resident of Malkajgiri forced to put up with such a long delay? B.T. Srinivas of United-Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (U-Ferwas) says that for its population, Malkajgiri has just three water tanks.
“There are water tanks in Chanakyapuri, Dayanand Nagar and Defence Colony and two more tanks, one at Sainathpuram and another at Vajpayee Nagar, are under construction for last seven years,” he said. “Areas like Defence Colony, Anand Bagh, Vinayak Nagar, among others, receive water at an interval of five to seven days. We have sent several representations to HMWS&SB, but they all went unanswered,” he said.
But while the residents complain of the irregular water supply, HMWS&SB officials claim that the problems in the water supply are due to a pipeline leakage in Anand Bagh area. “Some areas in Malkajgiri did not receive water for last 10 days because of a leakage in the pipelines at Anand Bagh. In an earlier instance too, few areas did not receive water for 10 days because of another major breakdown in the area. But these problems are now resolved and regular supply will be resumed again,” HMWS&SB Manager M. Madhavi said.
