Hyderabad: Abandoned tank at Errakunta poses danger to denizens

Rajendranagar: The oldest water tank in the Errakunta area, on the city outskirts, that was abandoned after establishing a new one next to it, is wearing a deserted look. It is even posing a threat to the local people. Yet officials of Jalpally municipality are neither taking measures to safeguard the tank nor to protect locals from any untoward incident.

Spread over 15-20 square yards of land near the Bara Mulgi area at Errakunta, the 20-25 foot tall circular shaped tank purportedly made of clay walls was constructed somewhere around 30-40 years back under the gram panchayat rule. It served as the only drinking water source for dwellers. After quenching thirst of the locals for several decades, the tank is said to have been gradually abandoned when bore water trend was set in motion and later tap water was made available to dwellers.

Last year a tank was built under the Mission Bhagiratha right next to the old one to serve safe drinking water more systematically to people. With this, the old but beautiful edifice of tank went into complete oblivion.

Contended Shaikh Sayeed Bawazeer, a community activist, who is pursuing the issue with the municipal authorities, "as the tank was left abandoned for years, there was a possibility of an untoward incident as its stairs led to the mouth that is left completely open to all. Children of nearby houses may fall in it. It is against this that I have raised the issue with authorities of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) and urged them to take appropriate measures to resolve the issue. The municipal authorities can use of its water or put in place safety measures around the tank to prevent any accident."

When contacted, Mohammed Sajid Ali, Manager (Engineering), HMWS&SB Jalpally section, said, "the old tank at Errakunta has no doubt been left abandoned for years and even discarded from service as it developed leakages. Since it was completely discarded from service, we wrote to municipal authorities asking them to take a call regarding the fate of the obsolete tank. Now, the prerogative lies with the municipal authorities to take appropriate decisions either to safeguard it by fencing or make use of it in some other way."