Hyderabad: Dirty water lands 100 in city hospitals

Hyderabad: The summer season of this year is giving a tough time to the citizens of Hyderabad, as water woes continue to pour in from residents of several parts of the city who have been receiving polluted water in their localities. Residents complain of getting drinking water mixed with sewage.

In the past three days, around 100 people, including children and senior citizens were hospitalised in nearby government hospitals as they were suffering from uneasiness, acute diarrhea and vomiting by consuming the contaminated water. So far, more than 150 citizens have fallen ill in the city after allegedly consuming contaminated water.

Areas that are receiving contaminated water are Gandhi Nagar Colony, Musheerabad, Madhapur, Sri Nagar Colony, Vaddera Basti, Langer Houz, King Koti, Shalibanda, Moghalpura, Qazipura, Puranihaveli, Hussainialam, Bahadurpura, Tadban, Kishanbagh, and Nawab Sahab Kunta.

Residents suspect that sewage water is seeping into the drinking water pipeline and contaminating the water. Even after the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWS&SB) officials visited the areas where people have fallen sick after consuming the water and the officials along with the team of the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) tested the water and found no bacteria, several parts of the city are still receiving contaminated water.

Recently, a man died and 89 others were admitted after drinking impure water for over four months. A large number of complaints have been pouring in at the grievance cell of the water board. The residents of Shahbaz Guda, Secunderabad complained of frequent stomach aches and vomiting after consuming polluted water.

Abul Rehman, a resident of Musheerabad said, "My 7-year-old daughter and I are suffering from mild diarrhea after consuming polluted water. To save our family members and to avoid further health issues we have bought packed water bottles for drinking and cooking."

Mohammed Ahmed, activist and resident of Old City said, "cases of people falling sick after consuming contaminated water are increasing. Several areas of the city are receiving contaminated water and the authorities are not reacting or taking up any action plan to identify the problem, and provide purified water."