Hyderabad: Contaminated water supply ruffles residents feathers

Charminar: In many parts of Old City, the residents under Yakutpura, Charminar and Bahadurpura constituencies have been complaining about receiving contaminated water from drinking water pipelines for the last one month. Residents alleged that the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is not acting on their complaints.

However, for almost 2 hours, they are receiving contaminated water. The officials are yet to address the problem and rectify. It is said that the pipelines are decades old. "The water being supplied is equivalent to sewerage water. It smells pungent and cannot be used for any purpose. It affects health and may attract other water-borne diseases," said Mustafa, a resident of Rein Bazar.

Several representations, offline and online, even on Twitter have been made to HMWSSB, but the officials have not taken any initiative to resolve the issue. Recently, at Ansari road in Bahadurpura, the resident complained and they even assigned an officer to resolve the issue, the officer visited and could not rectify the problem and till date, nothing has changed," rued Abdul Rahman, a social activist.

According to the residents, HMWSSB supplies water for 3 to 4 hours on alternate days. "After no reply from the officials, frustrated citizens have raised the issue on Twitter. As soon as any issue of contaminated water was posted, the officials rushed to the area and requested them not to post the complaints on Twitter, but are not acting on the complaint and solving the problem," said Mohammed Ahmed, Vice President Minority Cell, TDP.

There are several such areas that are receive polluted water including Aliabad, Lal Darwaza, Gazibanda, Shamsheergunj, Bahadurpura, Ansari Road, Tadbanand Kishanbagh, Rein Bazar, Maula ka Chilla, and some localities under Yakutpura.

He said, several residents have been complaining about the issue in Tadban for the last one year, and the department has also sanctioned a new pipeline a year back. An officer made an estimation of laying new pipelines as they had become old and damaged. But no works have been initiated and the residents continue to receive polluted water," added Ahmed.

According to HMWSSB officials, the problem of contaminated water being supplied is being rectified. "Recently, some water pipelines have been replaced by new ones in some areas and the remaining are yet to be replaced. As soon as the pipelines are replaced the issue will be solved," said the official.