Narayanpet thirsts for water

Mahbubnagar: Water scarcity has hit a new low in Narayanpet and badly affected the people of this town. With the people coming on to roads agitating against the government for not taking enough measures to ensure drinking water supply, the water crisis is growing into an administration crisis.

• Town officials failed to supply water due to paucity of funds
• This scenario contradicts the district administration claims about the water crisis management

Since one month, the water supply scenario in Narayanpet has been worsening and now has reached to unbearable stage. Aggrieved with the situation, the residents have blocked vehicular movement on the roads to register their protest, here on Thursday.

When contacted, the Municipal Commissioner of Narayanpet, Syed Abid said, “We are facing severe water crises since past 7 days. Out of 26 bore wells supplying water to the town, 18 have totally gone dry and only 8 are working at present.

As these bores are not able to meet the demand of a population of 45,000, we have taken 3 more bores on hire and also supplying water through tankers.” The situation has never been so pathetic during past few years.

With more than 35 per cent deficit rainfall this year, the water levels have gone steep down. Satya Sai Trust, the lone supplier of water through its pipelines from Malleypally has stopped supplying water to the town since past 7 days as the Municipality has to pay a due of Rs 2 crore to the Trust.

“It is true that we need to pay Rs 2 crore to the Satya Sai Trust. But at present we are facing fund crunch and even finding it difficult to run the administration. However, we had paid Rs 30 lakh to the Trust and requested them to supply water.

But since the trust is not heeding to our request, we have requested the Collector to intervene. We have already sent proposals to the district Collector for release of funds for supplying water. We are hoping for a positive result soon,” informed the Commissioner.

With constant deficit in rainfall throughout the district, the ground water levels have gone down to below 500 to 1000 feet levels across the district and Narayanpet is no exception. “We supply 7-8 tankers of water to each ward once in 4 days.

But this does not suffice the needs and now people are coming on the roads. We are doing our best to resolve the issue and taking all steps to supply maximum number tankers to the people,” the Commissioner said pouring out his helplessness.