Pyasa Secunderabad: Kowkur cries for water grow louder

Hyderabad: The long pending works of lying drinking water pipeline at the Kowkur line near Bolarum has intensified the water woes in the Wards 7, 8 and few colonies of ward 3 and 4 in the Secunderabad Cantonment limits. Locals in these areas have been receiving water only once in a week and are in fret that there would be water crisis during summer.

Residents moot that almost all the colonies in the SCB limits have been facing water supply issues as they have been receiving water only once in a week, only for 35 minutes and with extremely low pressure.Areas facing acute shortage of water include Karkhana, Trimulgherry, Bolarum, Vasavi Nagar and West Marredpally.

Apart from receiving irregular water, another issue pestering the locals is that they have been receiving contaminated water posing a risk of increase in water-borne diseases.

Even after 40 percent colonies and slums have been availing the free 20,000 liters free drinking water scheme which is extended by theState government to the SCB, the locals haven been witnessing water crisis, said S Ravindra, general secretary and resident of SCB ward-5.

Issues like cost of water, supply of water every alternate day at fixed timings and speedy redressal of grievances over water pollution will only be solved once SCB merges with GHMC, he added.

"Water issues have been prevalent in the SCB since the past many years. Even after submitting various representations, staging dharnas the concerned officials only give us false hopes on rectifying the issues.

We are forced to call in for private water tankers and spend a bomb as we only receive water once in a weak and just for 35 minutes," said Ahmed, a resident of ward 3.

Leave apart receiving timely water supply, locals moot that pipelines in ward 8 are rotten due to which they have been receiving contaminated water. We are fed up of listening to the fake promises given by the officials, said a resident of SCB ward 8.

Accepting that there are water issues in the SCB limits, on the condition of anonymity, SCB senior officer of the water department, said, "At present SCB is receiving 5.2 million gallons of water per day from Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWSSB). But there is a need for 8.2 million gallons per day to supply water every alternative day.

He added that unless the pipeline works in Kowkur line near Bolarum by the water board will not be complete, the drinking water issue will not be solved."