Water crisis: Bhopal residents facing a trickle-down effect
The residents of Bhopal continue to suffer from water crisis this summer with ground table hitting a low, overcharging private water tankers and a mute district administration
The residents of Bhopal continue to suffer from water crisis this summer with ground table hitting a low, overcharging private water tankers and a mute district administration.
But, the major cause of concern is that the Upper Lake, which is a major water source of the city, has depleted by 1.35 feet in less than one month.
The worst hit are Rachna Nagar, Bairagargh, Kolar , Gas colonies and old Bhopal areas like Bhopal talkies, Old bus stand, Kazi Camp, Chola, Karond and Laxmi talkies among others.
While Kolar and Bhauri do not have pipelines at all, residents here depend on bore wells.
“We have to depend on private water tankers”
“But, the water level has gone very low. We now have to depend on private water tankers,” says Bhavya Tripathi, a resident of Kolar Area. However, private tanker suppliers have increased their rates to cash in on the situation. Chandravahan Yadav from Lakshmi Enterprises admits, “Usually we supply a tanker for about Rs 400, but our peak hour rates vary from Rs 700-800 as procuring water in summers isn’t easy for us too.”
Similarly, the situation has reached alarmingly low in Idgah Hills, Ram Nagar, Niamatpura, Prince Colony, entire Shahjehanabad, Kumharput, Kabitpura, Mazdoor Nagar, Bara Mahal, Koh-e-Fiza, , Lal Ghati, Khanugaon, Sajida Nagar, Bright Colony, Neelkanth Colony, Prabhu Nagar, Pari Bazar and in other areas, water is supplied at a very low pressure on Sunday.
The residents of Koh-e-Fiza and Idgah Hills complain that they are not getting adequate water as the supply was only for 20 to 30 minutes.
“We have complained to the corporation on several occasions, to permanently solve this problem, but no action had been taken. The water supply has no regular time here. We are in a constant struggle to get drinking water” says Osheen Shaukat Alam, a resident of Idgah Hills.
“Water comes even at 2 am or at 3 am”
Residents of BHEL say that the water comes even at 2 am or at 3 am. “Drinking water is a necessity, one cannot do without it, our sleep is disturbed every day because we know that if we don’t get up at 2 am in the night for water, then buying costly refills will be the only option.”
Mayor Alok Sharma on Saturday directed all the corporators to visit their areas and sort out water-related issues.
He said, “We understand that the level of water is depleting in the lake too because of heat. Bulk and individual connections will be given to everyone at the earliest whoever does not have a municipality connection. We don’t want our the city to suffer in this weather. We are committed to supplying clean drinking water.”
Bhopal Municipal Corporation will hold a water review meeting on the crisis on April 28.