Hyderabad: HMWSSB fails to provide potable water in Old City

Charminar: Although the HMWSSB is claiming to be supplying water uninterruptedly in the Old City, citizens are complaining that dirty water is being provided through their taps that is not at all good even for domestic use.

Grimy water, yellowish in colour with stinky odour, is being supplied. Such complaints are pouring in mainly from HussainiAlam, KokaTatti, Deccan Colony, Koka Bazar, Char Mahal, Puranapul, Doodhbowli, Khilwath, Murgichowk and surrounding areas in Charminar constituency.

"Water being supplied by the HMWS&SB is yellowish and stinking as if it is mixed with murky sewerage. This has been going on since the last 15 days. As usual, the authorities are turning a blind eye to the issues despite being brought into their notice," complained Mohd Mohsin, a resident of KokaTatti, HussainiAlam.

When a similar problem cropped up last year, officials complacently washed off their hands saying the morbidity level in water has increased as the board was drawing it from dead storage of Himayatsagar owing to a grim situation in the lake. However, not exactly the situation prevails this year. The lakes in and around the City are completely full. Even officials affirmed that there would be no shortage of water this year.

"This has become a perennial issue for us, as summer season every year brings us closer to this sort of situation wherein we suffer in silence, while officials beat their drums. If this sort of supply is to be made as part of the free water scheme then it is a clear case of an eyewash. Officials of HMWS&SB should take appropriate measures to fix solve the issue once and for all," said Mohammed Farhath of Deccan Colony, HussainiAlam.

Khader Mohiuddin, General Manager-(Div-I) HMWS&SB, said: "We are receiving similar complaints from different areas and started taking measures to tackle the issue. We have decided to reduce pumping of water from Himayatsagar and augmented the supply from the Krishna. We are keenly working on the issue and will be sorted out within a week."

Explaining that the increasing level of floral extraction in the lake is the primary reason for water contamination, he said "floral decomposition often releases its extract into water, colossally affecting the colour of the aqua in the lake. This is what is actually reflecting in the water being supplied to citizens. The board has experienced similar situation in 2010 when the water body received heavy inflows. We have already written to the board director and the Quality Assurance Testing (QAT) wing apprising them of the prevailing situation."