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Hyderabad Water Board mints 2.43 cr in December
The demand for water tankers usually starts in April, but due to the deficit rainfall last season (the city and its surrounding areas had a 38 per cent deficit rainfall), the groundwater levels have plummeted to alarming levels. Many areas in the city, which had good groundwater, are now seeing water scarcity. Several apartment secretaries have started booking water tankers.
Demand for water tankers trebles
The demand for water tankers usually starts in April, but due to the deficit rainfall last season (the city and its surrounding areas had a 38 per cent deficit rainfall), the groundwater levels have plummeted to alarming levels. Many areas in the city, which had good groundwater, are now seeing water scarcity. Several apartment secretaries have started booking water tankers.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has already started receiving a number of calls. In December 2013, the Water Board supplied 14,000 tankers and in December, the number of tankers supplied rose to 47,000. Senior officials at the Water Board say that the demand for water tankers is unprecedented and blame the lack of rain for the present situation.
PS Suryanarayana, director, revenue, HMWS&SB, says, “The groundwater levels in the city have hit abysmally low depths which is forcing people to depend on water tankers. In December, the Water Board earned revenues to the tune of Rs 2.43 crore.”
“Rainwater harvesting in the city has not been implemented to the desired level and the authorities need to keep a close tab on new constructions. There are several apartments in the city, including new ones that do not have rainwater harvesting pits,” says Dr Rao VB Chelakani of United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (UFERWAS).
Residents, especially those living in apartments, are already facing water woes. Sadhna, a resident of Jalal Gardens, West Marredpally, says, “We have already started booking water tankers and the monthly maintenance charges have already gone up by 40 per cent.”
In January 2013, the board supplied 10,800 tankers and in the same month in 2014 it rose to 13,000 tankers. This year however, the board has already supplied over 6,000 tankers in the first five days in January. A senior official of HMWS&SB says that the coming days are going to be tough. Ramesh Kumar, deputy director, groundwater department, said, “Unplanned development, rise in borewells and the lack of rainwater harvesting are reasons for the state of affairs.
The drop in water levels is alarming. The worst affected areas in the city are Nampally, Kulsumpura, Sanjeevareddy Nagar and Darulshifa.” Revathi, a resident of Warasiguda, is expecting the rains just before Sankranti, which is the norm, to offer some respite. However, experts say that the water crisis is bound to worsen in the coming months.
By:T P Venu
