After IAS quarters razed, people go without water

HYDERABAD: The razing of residential quarters at Panjagatta's IAS officers' colony to construct new villas for VIPs, has damaged a water distribution network, leaving over 500 families at Pochamma Basthi and in other parts of Panjagutta without water. The area is just a stone's throw away from chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's residence.
The problem came to light after locals, who had stopped receiving water on alternate days as stipulated by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Board (HMWB), complained to the operators of the pump house that lies in the IAS officers' colony .A subsequent inspection by HMWB officials, Somajiguda section, confirmed the damage.
“The demolition of residential quarters in the area led to tonnes of debris damaging the water distribution network. Fortunately, the mains are intact. Although we have attended to the problem, the situation is yet to normalize. For now, we have been providing tankers to locales that have been worst hit,“ HMWS&SB manager (Somajiguda section) O&M Division-VI, G Srinivas told TOI.
The colony's pump house provides 0.162 million gallons of water per day to 72 quarters and residential ar eas in Somajiguda. It also services Topaz Building and other commercial establishments. A separate pipeline services the chief minister's camp office-cum-residence.
The Water Board is looking for a permanent solution to the supply problem. Following an inspection a few days ago, officials agreed that a new distribution network was the only way . “Until proposals and estimates to this end are submitted to the head office for approval, tankers will continue to supply water to the area,“ Srinivas said.
“We have been facing water shortages for the last 10 days. Although the Water Board has resumed supply to our area, the pressure is very low,“ Pochamma Basthi resident D Ramachandrudu, said. Locals said that repeated complaints to Somajguda corporator A Vijaya Lakshmi, fell on deaf ears as she neither responded nor visited the area ever since her election. “If this continues, we will protest in front of her house,“ said retired government officer, D Papa Rao.
When contacted, Lakshmi denied having received any complaints regarding water paucity in Pochamma Basthi. “I will speak to officials of the Water Board and ask them to provide tankers till the problem is resolved,“ she said.