Drinking water woes galore in Malkajgiri

Malkajgiri: Despite assurances from GHMC commissioner Dana Kishore that any issue related to Hyderabad metro water works would be resolved within 24 hours, the residents of Anand Bagh and Bala Saraswathi Nagar in Malkajgiri constituency have been facing drinking water issues due to water supply issues for the last two months. Several residents of the colonies complained to the toll-free number 155313 and even visited local section offices to complain, but the issue has not been addressed so far.

Tap connections have been given to every house under Mission Bhagiratha but there seems to be lack of clarity among officials on who is responsible for the water supplies and maintenance of tap connections and put blame on each other, locals lament. The residents said that the drinking water problem has worsened after new connections under Mission Bhagiratha were given. Moreover, the new taps do not have off or on knobs to control water supply and a lot water gets wasted due to which water pressure is lost in some places, they said. 

Initially, the residents expected that the problems would be addressed after elections but things have worsened, they said. Raju, a resident of Bala Saraswathi Nagar, said he made several complaints online, spoke to authorities and even registered a written complaint in a local office, but at the end of the month he has received water bill for two months. He appealed to the authorities concerned to address the issue at the earliest as they have to spend monies on buying water. 

Syed Zahiruddin, a resident of Anand Bagh, who lives in Kripanand Apartments, said that they were not getting water supply from the last two months, but the issue has not been addressed despite several complaints.When The Hans India contacted the general manager of Sainikpuri divison of Water Works department on the issue, he said that 80 per cent of Mission Baghiratha pipeline works have been completed, but while changing to new connections they have encountered some problems in some sections.

As there is a ban on digging of roads due to under rail bridge works in Anand Bagh, some pipelines could not be laid and this has resulted in delay. He assured that the authorities have been working hard to address the issue and very soon water supplies would be revived. 

   -B Manohar