Drinking water shortage hits Kakinada

Kakinada: After the formation of new district Kakinada, people are suffering with lack of drinking water supply. Even though Kakinada happens to be district headquarters and Smart City, the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities are unable to provide adequate drinking water for the needs of the people.

Despite rise in temperatures, the KMC officials have failed to tackle the water problem, which persists in Kakinada rural and other areas also.

For the people of Kakinada, there are two reservoirs available - one at Samalkot and the other at Aratlakatta.

People are drawing more water with the help of motors connected to municipal taps. Due to this, others are unable to get water. And those, who don't have motors, are deprived of their regular quota of water and unhappy over non-availability of water. Another problem most of the people face is low pressure of drinking water supply.

Particularly the problem is severe in summer. People residing in low-lying areas are the worst victims, especially in Pratap Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Poolavari street, Mallaiah Agraharam, Elwin Pet, Ramaraopet, Yetimoga, Pasterpet and other adjoining areas in the city.

Meanwhile, due to the increasing temperatures, groundwater levels are depleting and water consumption is increasing.

People said that water should not be supplied to those, who are drawing water through motors connected to municipal taps and also necessary action should be taken against such people.

People residing in low-lying areas are demanding to supply water through tankers.

A resident of Gandhi Nagar, Duvvuri Subrahmanyam, complained that they are not getting water for the last ten days and they are facing great hardship owing to lack of water. He said every year it is a common phenomenon for the residents of Smart City and the KMC officials are indifferent to their woes and neglecting to find a solution to the drinking problem.

Subrahmanyam criticised that even though the Central government has given surplus funds to the Smart city, the KMC officials have not utilised even a portion of the funds for providing water to the residents of Kakinada. 'During the last five years, the Kakinada Smart City Corporation did nothing concrete to its credit to improve the living standards of people of Kakinada but has shown as spending more than Rs 500 crore.' He questioned as to what has happened to these huge funds granted to the Smart City Kakinada. Subrahmanyam complained to District Collector Kritika Shukla, highlighting the problem of the Smart city, particularly drinking water woes.

Kakinada Municipal Corporation Superintending Engineer P Satya Kumari told 'The Hans India' that water problem is present in Pratap Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Ramaraopet area and other areas in the Smart city. She informed that they have temporarily reduced water supply so as to prevent leakages from water pipes and it would be set right soon. And the leakages in Pratap Nagar area were already stopped, she added and assured that water supply would be restored in a couple of days.

Besides, it takes time to clean water tanks and let them dry, SE Satya Kumar said. She informed that irrigation officials will close the canals from May 1 for 45 days.

However, they are ready with storage tanks to meet public demand for water. She assured there will be no drinking water problem in summer.

But there is acute shortage of drinking water in rural areas of Kakinada, Peddapuram, Samolkot, Tuni and other areas in the district. Rural people alleged that RWS officials are not paying attention to their suffering due to lack of drinking water. They appealed to Collector Kritika Shukla to pay attention to their water problem and quench their thirst.