With the mercury level begins roasting the earth on the onset of summer season, the groundwater too starts taking a deep dive in several parts of the Hyderabad city and in outskirt areas making them partially or completely parched of aqua. As a result, the water crisis deepens in several areas in the city and especially in outskirt areas where most of the people counts-on groundwater resources.
While health conscious people in the city areas rely on filter water being supplied from private mineral water filters, the poor people in the city outskirts quench their thirst from groundwater which is often considered unsafe for drinking due to its highly polluting nature. However, the growing heat waves left the bore wells in colonies partially or completely dried of groundwater leaving the people completely high and dry.
While the officials from Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) are claiming that they are supplying the water to both the served as well as some unserved areas in the city outskirts, complaints are pouring-in from scores of colonies in the city about non supply of water, delay in supply or supply of murky water not suitable for drinking.
In some of the city areas especially in Mir Alam, Kattedan, Chandrayangutta, Santosh Nagar Balanagar and surrounding habitations, water is being supplied once in 13 days and the local people brought the issue to the notice of Special Chief Secretary MOUD Arvind Kumar through twitter.
Water crisis is found deepens especially in areas in the city outskirts where people rely either on grampanchayat supplies or on groundwater source. While the groundwater level takes a deep dive in recent days owing to surging mercury levels, the gram panchayat supply too has decreased in recent times forcing people to step out of their houses and buy the water from far flung areas.
It is against this background, the Special Chief Secretary Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Arvind Kumar went into huddle with the municipal commissioners (MCs) from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state and asked them to make appropriate arrangement of water supply in all the shortage hit areas.
The top boss suggested the officials identify vulnerable points especially in densely populated areas from where the complaints are pouring-in frequently and take remedial measures. Apart from this, rolled on an contingency plan besides water supply arrangements to tide over the water crisis.
He urged the MCs to make personal visits to water supply sources, pumping houses and distribution mains to ascertain the gap between the availability and the requirement thereby to plan accordingly.
“Due to increase in heatwave, a sudden increase is being witnessed in water supply demand for domestic purpose in the municipalities,” he said adding that “the officials should focus especially on un-served areas on the outskirts and in municipality where the water crisis are deepens and rope-in water tankers to ensure sufficient supply to the target people.”
