Bandlaguda Jagir residents complain of contaminated drinking water supply
Hyderabad: Residents of Bandlaguda Jagir have said that they have been receiving contaminated drinking water for the last few weeks.
They said they are getting the dirty water from the drinking water taps despite the government spending crores of rupees to build a water purification plant at Himayat Sagar.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is drawing water from the Himayat Sagar reservoir to meet consumers’ demand in the Bandlaguda Corporation limits. Frustrated with the supply of dirty water instead of filter water, the locals have raised questions over the efficiency of the water purification plant.
The locals from Himayat Sagar lodged a formal complaint with Water Board official Govind and demanded immediate action. They urged authorities to re-examine the filtration process and ensure proper water purification before supplying it to the people.
Following the complaints from affected locals, the Water Board official Govind Goud stated that occasional muddy tap water is common when maintenance work is underway.
It is pertinent to note that about 1.2 lakh litres of filtered water is supplied daily from Himayat Sagar to several villages.
A few days ago, the residents of Padmasri Hills Colony in Bandlaguda took to the streets to protest against the drinking water crisis in their locality.
The protest rally was organised by the colony president Umamaheshwar Reddy, which saw active participation from members of the senior citizens’ association and the women’s association.
Holding empty pots in their hands, and placards to highlight their plight, several men and women attended the rally. The residents said they have been facing the drinking water crisis for nearly a decade.
The protesters said the drinking water issue was not resolved despite repeated complaints to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and concerned authorities.
Blaming the water tanker mafia for the depleting groundwater levels, the residents claimed that they are extracting underground water after dark and selling it to the needy people. They have requested the officials to take stringent action against the illegal operators.
