Residents of Jakkampudi housing complex, YSR Colony, were up in arms against the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) for supplying poor and substandard drinking water to them.
The residents, supported by CPI(M) city unit, staged a dharna at Jakkampudi near here on Saturday.
Pouring out their woes, the residents said they were forced to stay put in the houses as none knew when the water tanker would arrive in the colony. Fetching a pail of water had become a Herculean task. There was no water to meet daily needs. “We are forced to walk up to Budameru drain to wash clothes and fetch water, they said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Party city secretary Ch. Babu Rao said people living at different places were shifted to Jakkampudi two years ago. Since then, the residents had been facing umpteen problems, including drinking water supply.
The VMC failed to supply adequate water to them, and for the last 15 days there was no water supply at all. The corporation that failed to provide basic amenities and services was forcing them to pay Rs. 30,000 towards their contribution.
There was no rule that the beneficiary contribution had to be paid lump sum.
ADVERTISEMENT
Corporation Chief Engineer Kondal Rao assured the agitating people that the corporation would dig two new bores to ease the water supply. Till then, water would be supplied through tankers. The file pending with the Railways was also cleared and water from the Krishna would be a reality in the next six months, he said.
CPI(M) city secretariat member U.V. Ramaraju was among others who were present.