Old City residents get coloured water

''Pandra din se ganda paani aa raha hai. Bahut pareshan hain. Peene ka paani hi nahin hai,” (“We are getting contaminated water since 15 days. We are facing problems as there is no water to drink”) complained 34 year-old M Santhosi, a resident of Sivajinagar near Chatrinaka in the Old City. Drinking water contamination has spread to other localities in the Old City like Azampura, Vinayvadi, Bahadurpura, Misrigunj, Ziaguda, Sivajinagar, Nagulbanda and Ravindranaik Nagar. While the problem has led a few to be hospitalised with fever and vomiting, many have been forced to shell out Rs.50 per day to get canned drinking water. Showing the contaminated yellow-coloured water filled in a water tub, another house-wife, A Maheswari fumed they were getting polluted water every summer. A number of residents staying in various localities, vented their anger on the callous attitude of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) officials who have failed to provide better drinking water during the summer. “The locality has been getting polluted water with a light yellow tinge since the past 20 days. We brought the problem to the notice of Water Board officials but no action was taken. We are getting dirty water for the first 30 to 60 minutes of supply and just when clean water starts coming, the supply stops,” complained  K Shanthi, a resident of Sivajinagar. S Kamalamma, resident of Banjara Colony in Ravindranaik Nagar, gathered a number of women and they lodged a complaint at Goshamahal, Circle-I general manager, Water Board. “With the onset of summer it is common that polluted water comes in supply to many localities in the Old City. Even as we complained, officials concerned tried to wash their hands off the issue by visiting a few houses and taking samples of polluted water. They never inform us about the sample test reports,’’ Kamalamma alleged. “We have completely stopped using the water supplied in my area since the last 10 days as the drinking water coming from taps had small insects and a light yellow colour. Water Board officials had constructed a new pipeline in the locality as the problem occurred every summer season,” said Sony, a housewife residing at Ravindranaik Nagar. Meanwhile, the Majlis Bachau Tehreek (MBT) corporator from Azampura, Amjedullah Khan alleged most localities situated in Azampura were getting light yellow coloured water due to chemical reflection, as HMWS&SB officials had mixed chemicals for water purification at the Miralam water tank. “A number of residents in the locality were hospitalised after they suffered from fever and vomiting. If Water Board officials fail to supply pure water, MBT activists will lay siege to the HMWS&SB office in Khairatabad,’’ Amjedullah Khan warned. Meanwhile, Water Board officials said the yellow-coloured water coming in supply in Old City localities is not harmful. A chemical analysis report carried out by HMWS&SB and other agencies reportedly found the water did not have any harmful substances. Officials said consumers can drink the water, as it is not harmful for health. They added that the water can be boiled before drinking, if required. 

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com