Following the reports of infringement of drinking water meant for free distribution to unserved areas on the behest of political leaders, the HMWS&SB chief ordered cracking a whip against the errant tanker drivers of Mir Alam Filter allegedly milking profit through selling the water to industrial units burning a hole into water boards’ pocket.
With this, the tankers drivers that attached to the Mir Alam Filter Bahadurpura swepts under the carpet as filling of tankers from the station has significantly diminished fearing that the activities at the filter is now comes under a complete scanner of the higher officials.
It is said that a total 43 tanker drivers are employed at Mir Alam Filter Bahadurpura to supply drinking water to remotely located underserved areas that face acute shortage of aqua. Together these drivers make 350 to 400 trips per day from the filter to several areas off the city outskirts. While the filling station charged them Rs.7000 for a 5,000 litre tanker, the drivers are reportedly charged Rs.1700 to 1800 from industrial units operating in Kattedan area on the city outskirts.
Moreover, the political influence is said to be a primary reason behind the infringement of drinking water and plucking up the courage among drivers leading to a sparring between the tanker drivers and the officials at the filling station. While the local leaders are using influence to secure free water for their own use from the filter, the tanker drivers turn other trips to industrial units just to make their part of the profit.
It is learnt that the filter authorities, following a brawl with the drivers at the filling station, have spilled the beans before higher authorities explaining the nitty-gritty being prevailed in the filter. Upon knowing about the irregularities, the chief of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) Dana Kishore rolls on the vigilance team into action while asking the authorities to book a criminal case against the tanker drivers involved in irregularities.
It is against this background the tankers drivers swept under the carpet while the tanker trips cut down sharply at the filling station. “Earlier, the drivers made 350 to 400 trips per day from the filling station which was presently dropped down to 25 to 30 trips during the last two days and further drops to just 2 to 3 trips on Monday. This shows the quantum of infringement that is causing a heavy damage to the board,” informed an official on the condition of anonymity.
