Hyderabad: Huge wastage of water goes unabated in city

• Water Board is spending `42 per 1000 litre on purification and distribution

• It charges a subsidised rate of `7 per 1000 litre to the water consumers

• Locals unaware of the costs and value of purification are wasting precious water by flushing it on the roads, leaving taps running, for vehicles cleaning and other purposes

Malakpet: Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) conducted 'Water Leadership & Conservation awareness programme' at Hi-Tech Dunction hall in Old Malakpet on Wednesday. Students and residents present on the occasion took 'oath' to conserve water. HMWSSB MD, M Dana Kishore, Malakpet MLA Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, where students from Swami Vivekananda School and Old Malakpet Government School took part while holding colourful placards. Dana Kishore and Ahmed Balala appealed the citizens not to waste water and also taken a vow for saving water.

Speaking on the occasion, Dana Kishore said, "HMWSSB is supplying 472 MGD of water every day to the ORR. To purify the Krishna and Godavari water for drinking purposes, it is spending around Rs 42 for 1,000 litres, but HMWSSB is providing at a subsidised rate of Rs 7 per 1000 litres. There is a serious concern over people unaware of the costs and value of purification are wasting precious water by flushing it on the roads, leaving taps running, for vehicles cleaning and other purposes. Around 170 MGD water (77crore litre) is being wasted every day."

The walk programme was designed to educate people on reducing water wastage and saving purified drinking water. The awareness programme was being conducted in 600 colonies. Door-to-door campaign was also underway to make people aware on how to utilise water without wastage.

Assures to resolve any water related problem

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed Balala called upon the denizens to bring to the notice of officials or authorities concerned if they face problems like irregular or contaminated water. "We shall try our best to resolve the matter," he assured.

Stressing on water conservation, he said that it was everyone's duty to conserve water. While throwing emphasis on the sensitivity of the matter, he asked the residents to restrain their practice of wasting potable water and water from borewells, which can be seen flowing on roads. "Even these people forget to switch off the motor and water is seen overflowing from tanks and sumps," he lamented.

Suggestion to install automatic switch to curb overflow

He appealed to the denizens to install automatic switch for the tank, which gets switched-off automatically when the tank gets full to curb the practice of wasting precious water.

Corporator T Sunaritha (Moosarambagh), party leaders Mohammed Saifuddin Shafi, Shaik Mohiuddin Abrar, HMWSSB officials, representative of NGO Noor-e-Hind and others were among those present.