Hyderabad: Polluted water forced down our throats, cry residents

Hyderabad: It has been the bane of people in Rein Bazar under Yakutpura constituency to receive contaminated water on and off for the last one year. The residents rue that they do not even get any proper reply despite several complaints to officials. According to the people, HMWSSB supplies water on alternate days for 3-4 hours.

However, for almost 2 hours, they are getting contaminated water. The officials are yet to address the problem and rectify it as the pipelines are 30 years old. "The water being supplied is equivalent to sewerage water. It is pungent in odour and cannot be used for any purpose. Already the people in a state of panic about the spread of Covid pandemic are now receiving containment water. This may affect their health and may attract other water-borne diseases," said Abdul Kareem, a resident.

"We have small children in our homes and the water is not good for health. It is affecting the whole lane in the area and residents are purchasing water from outside. Even today the officials came to test the water and still the water is contaminated," said another person in the area.

People demand that officials attend to the one-year-old issue, a result of old and worn-out pipelines. They urge the government to laying new pipeline rather than find temporary solution.

The residents of Madina Nagar, Sadat Nagar, Hussani Bagh, Chanda Nagar and parts of Rein Bazar division are receiving containment water. "Several complaints were given to Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) officials and several were also registered online complaint, but the officials didn't respond and issue remains to be solved," Abdul Rahman, a social activist.

According to HMWSSB officials, the problem of receiving contaminated water in these areas is being rectified. Some water pipelines had been replaced and the remaining are yet to be replaced. "As soon as the pipelines are replaced the issue will be solved," said an official.