Water woes continue to haunt Bholakpur residents

Hyderabad: Though it is eight years since 14 people died and over 200 were hospitalised after drinking contaminated water at Bholakpur in Musheerabad due to seepage of sewage water into drinking water pipeline, the investigation into the case has not been completed nor has there been any improvement in the situation in the locality.

The residents, who live in the narrow lanes, are still provided with polluted drinking water. Diseases like diarrhoea and nausea have become a commonplace. They are facing a problem with animal carcases being dumped in the area. The residents expressed the hope that the TRS government would at least provide them with safe drinking water.

Apart from foul smell, the residents now get ‘red’ water, which earlier used to be blue, as blood oozing from the carcasses is suspected to be seeping into water pipelines. Speaking to The Hans India, Lokeshwar one of the residents complained that their relatives were hesitating to visit their house.

While the living conditions have not shown any improvement, it is learnt that the only silver lining is that the stage is now set for bringing to book those responsible for dereliction of duty that led to the death of 14 persons in 2009 following contamination of drinking water. The CCS police is said to have written to the State government for permission to investigate the case and file the charge-sheet.

With this development, the officials allegedly responsible for water contamination are spending anxious moments. Following the incident, the then government led by YS Rajasekhara Reddy in the undivided Andhra Pradesh had suspended the HMWSSB Chief Manager Manohar Babu, AGM Praveen Kumar, DGM Rajasekhar Reddy, local board in-charge David Raj, division in-charge Umamaheshwar Raju.

Since then, the investigation has been going on at a snail’s pace for various reasons. No charge-sheet has been filed so far. On the other hand, these officials got promoted and holding high positions.