HMWSSB yet to devise summer action plan

Hyderabad: Despite steady rise in the mercury levels, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is yet to come out with a full-fledge 'Summer Action Plan – 2021' Which would address the drinking water problem during the ensuing Summer season.

It may be mentioned that there has been a slight delay in implementing or announcing the summer action plan for this year due to Covid -19 pandemic followed by lockdown. Whereas, in last year, it got cracking on the summer action plan on March 10.

According to highly placed sources, the operations directors and general managers are still preparing the action plan for 2021. "This year there may not be the same budget as it was in the previous year," sources added.

Last year a sum of Rs 50 crore was sanctioned to the operation and maintenance wing to take up works with an aim to avoid disruptions in water supply, and this year it is not yet clear about the funds availability. Every year the Managing Director of HMWSSB holds meetings with all the officials on the Summer Action Plan but no such meeting has been conducted till date at the water board headquarters in Khairatabad.

When contacted, officials concerned did not respond. In the last year's summer action plan, the Water Board promised timely and sufficient supply of drinking water across the city. Nonetheless, some areas witnessed water disruption for several days.

According to the latest data of the water board, out of the total 6,430 borewells, about 5,013 are in working condition and the remaining have dried up. "Plus, 39,996 service connections are still not getting water supply properly, these connections were identified by the Water Board last year but they were not rectified," said a water conservationist.