The ancient open drain system in Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits, which flows into river Godavari is a major concern for public health. Domestic sewage is let out into the river through almost all major drains by the corporation, leading to water-borne diseases in the rainy season as well as in summer. However, there were no deaths or major incidents of diarrhoea reported in the last few years.
The drains and water pipelines go side by side in old town areas and few slums. According to Divisional Engineer Venkateswara Rao, the authorities have started replacing the British-era water distribution system under various schemes, including 14th Finance Commission funds and SC Component funds in slums.
He, however, admitted that they often get complaints of leakages from the old town area, where water distribution system will be changed with funds from Physical Infrastructure Improvement Plant (PIIP). He said 200 samples are being taken every day from different parts of the city to test for quality and 2 ppm of chlorine is being mixed at starting point to maintian 0.02 ppm at the end of the pipeline. Filters at the treatment plant have been changed, he said.
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The city has 680 km of open drains, 12 km of Nalla channel and 8 km of Ava channel apart from 18 km of major drains. It has 437.7 km of drinking water pipeline, 22.23 km of pumping line with 38, 379 tap connections and 1,289 commercial connections.
Health hazards
According to Superintendent of Government Hospital Ramesh Kishore, cases of jaundice, frequent fever and diarrhoea are being reported from different colonies including Satellite city, Namavaram, Mallaiahpeta, Simhachalanagar, Subbarao Nagar, Ramdas Peta, Tadithota, V.L. Puram, Churchpeta, Jampeta and others. “All are water-borne diseases and these are because of leakages in drinking water pipelines and mixing of sewage in it. On an average, we get 10 cases of water-borne diseases in summer and rainy season,” he said.
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However, Municipal Health Officer M.S.N. Murthy said there were no deaths due to diarrhoea in last few years and no major incident had taken place.
Polluting the river
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) team which visited Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation (RMC) just before Godavari Pushkarams on the request of local MP M. Murali Mohan submitted a report emphasising on the urgent need for underground drainage system for the city. In its startling revelation, the CPCB said that 60 MLD sewage water is daily going into river Godavari and only 10 MLD was being treated at Sewage Treatment Plant and rest of the water was not treated.
The Somanath Chattarjee Committee, which submitted another report long back, had pointed out that drain water from Nalla Channel and Ava Channels are being let directly into the Godavari, which is likely to lead to serious health hazards, apart from a pipeline from Andhra Pradesh Paper Mill going into the river near Kotilingala.