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Water plant dictates terms to civic body
It is like the monopoly over drinking water. A mineral water plant owner, who got borewells, is virtually dictating terms to the Nagara Panchayat with a total population of 60,000. The Nagara Panchayat took his agricultural borewell on lease for Rs 25,000 per month to augment drinking water supply to the town during summer. The power bill is also borne by the local body.
Atmakur (Kurnool): It is like the monopoly over drinking water. A mineral water plant owner, who got borewells, is virtually dictating terms to the Nagara Panchayat with a total population of 60,000. The Nagara Panchayat took his agricultural borewell on lease for Rs 25,000 per month to augment drinking water supply to the town during summer. The power bill is also borne by the local body.
- When elixir of life becomes scarce
- The Nagara Panchayat is heavily dependent on the particular borewell to mitigate the water crisis. Consequently, the owner of the plant is calling the shots in terms of pricing and being left untouched when flouting the rules
As per the agreement, the borewell owner has to supply water to the local body round-the-clock. Some people of the town alleged that Mithai Medusa alias Aslam, who owns the mineral water plant, was earning Rs 30,000 a day by selling 12 tankers of water to hotels and commercial establishments without supplying the elixir of life to the Nagara Panchayat.
Speaking to The Hans India, a resident of the 20th ward, who is getting water once in 10 days, has said: “Mabusa is supplying borewell water to the Nagara Panchayat for two hours in a day only. He is drawing about 2.5 lakh litres of water a day. He is also illegally using free agricultural power to draw water.
His mineral water plant housed in a tin-roofed shed is doing a monthly business of Rs 9 lakh by exploiting the drinking water crisis. Some corrupt Nagara Panchayat officials who colluded with him, have remained mute spectators without initiating any action against Mabusa though he is selling water in violation of the agreement reached with the local body.
It is the people who are the ultimately suffering because of his greed.’’ Another resident said: “The mineral plant owner went to the extent of threatening the Nagara Panchayat that he would cancel the agreement of water supply if his illegal business was stopped. The local body should rein in his monopolistic behaviour to solve the drinking water crisis in the town.’’
Some affected people even complained to the District Collector seeking action against Mabusa for doing illegal business. When contacted, AP Transco AE Ramesh said stern action would be taken against the mineral water plant owner if free agricultural power was used to draw borewell water.
Municipal Commissioner Ibrahim said any violation of the agreement reached by Mabusa with the Nagara Panchayat would not be tolerated. The illegal sale of water would be curbed and the tankers would be seized. The Nagara Panchayat would take all measures to ensure the adequate supply of water to the people during the hot summer, he added.
