Water plants making a fast buck

Vijayawada: Even though the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is supplying drinking water for every household in the city, but a majority of them, including people in the slums and hill areas, are purchasing drinking water from private water supply plants. According to reports, nearly 500 water plants are successfully running their business in the city by cashing in on the people’s choice.

1. Denizens allege VMC supplying contaminated water
2. Nearly, 500 water plants are successfully running their business in the city by cashing in on the people’s choice

The families existing under the BPL (Below Poverty Line) are also purchasing water from private suppliers to avoid the contaminated water supplied by VMC.  According to the officials concerned, 39 million gallons of water is being supplied per day for the entire city. As per records, every citizen is being supplied 160 litres of water per day which is 30 litres more than the daily average of water consumption. However, the situation is different at the grassroots level. 

Majority of citizens, including the residents of the hilly areas, are purchasing water from private water plants. The poorer sections of the society are spending Rs 100 to Rs 400 more per month for getting water for drinking purposes. Speaking to The Hans India here on Friday, A Ruth Mary, a hill area resident of Christurajapuram, said that they were purchasing water from private drinking water suppliers. 

She said that they get blackish water twice in a week through VMC pipeline system and they are afraid of drinking water as it may affect their health, especially after diarrhoea deaths in Guntur.    

The people living in several slum areas like Payakapuram, Subash Chandra Bose Nagar, Kandrika and Vidyadharapuram are also buying water. They prefer to use the VMC’s water for other purposes than drinking. Already, several surveys found that nearly 20 out of the 200 samples collected daily by the VMC were found to be unsuitable for consumption.   

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has gauged the citizens’ mood and planned to set up 20 Reverse Osmosis (RO) water plants in the city. Already, the VMC could set up eight water plants and the remaining plants are still under progress. The officials made plans to set up RO water plants at public parks, government buildings and vacant sites.

However, the managements of drinking water plants are making a fast buck by exploiting the situation to their advantage. 'Pure Drinking' water plant manager P Raja Rao said majority of the plants were running their business illegally. He said that several plants were running without RO systems. Tax Payers Association secretary GV Anjaneyulu said that the supply of pure drinking water is government's responsibility. He said that the local body should take precautions to avoid water contamination. 

BY Patibandla Srinivas