Cola, beer cost get more

When water board officials were asked for a clarification on the additional water supply to beverage companies, CGM Praveen Kumar claimed he was too busy to share information

Hyderabad: Precious drinking water that ought to reach thousands of thirsty houses in the city is flowing uninterrupted in quantities more than normal to cola companies in the city. Despite the severe drinking water crisis, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has supplied 17 crore litres of drinking water to these beverage companies in the month of February this year.

This is three crore litre more than the normal average monthly consumption by these cola companies. Observers claimed that this quantity of drinking water could satiate the needs of as many as 5,000 households for a month in the city. At present, the water board has been supplying 340 million gallons a day against a demand of 600 MGD.

Keeping the drinking water needs of residents at bay, the water board has been supplying about 17 crore litres to five beverage companies. The HMWS&SB has supplied 4.65 crore litres to Coca-Cola Company, 3.48 crore litres to Pepsi-Cola company, 2.27 crore litres to South Asia beverages, 1.48 crore litres to Crown Beers International Ltd and 3.83 crore litres to United Breweries Ltd in February 2016. It supplied about 13 crore litres in February 2015 and was increased to 17 crore litres during the peak summer month of May in 2015.

CPI (M) city secretary M Srinivas said on Thursday that the water board has been concentrating on revenue generation rather than serving the water needs of denizens. He alleged that when city is facing severe water crises, the water board has been decreasing water supply to households and increasing the supply to cola companies. The CPI (M) leader demanded the water board to give top priority to the drinking water needs of denizens and then supply the available water to beverage companies.

Forum for Good Governance secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said cola companies can actually wait for two months. "It is not the question of revenue alone. The water board must first meet the needs of its residents and fulfil the Citizen's Charter," he said.

Reddy demanded the water board to stop additional water supply of potable water to beverage companies for at least two months, especially during these extreme summer months of April and May. He said that the companies can produce goods in other manufacturing units in the country.

When water board officials were asked for a clarification on the additional water supply to beverage companies, Chief General Manager (revenue circle) V L Praveen Kumar claimed he was too busy to share information on the subject.
Meanwhile, the water board has been supplying additional water and water tankers to several prime areas in the city. The water board has been supplying about 70 KL (kilolitres) to Gachibowli, 62 KL to Madhapur, 50 KL to Banjara Hills and 51 KL to areas in Miyapur.

Where as it has been supplying water very less to the areas facing severe drinking water crisis. The HMWS&SB has been supplying 14.8 KL in SPR Hills, 15.1 to Yakutpura, 15.5 to Alwal, 15 to Gowlipura and 15.6 kilolitres to areas in Allabanda.
Besides this, eyeing on the revenue generation the water board has been supplying about 150 water tankers only to the Banjara Hills areas, keeping the free water supply at bay to many areas in the city.

Adding to the woes, the ground water level in city has been depleting at an alarming pace. Water board managing director B Janardhan Reddy has been issuing frequent appeals to citizens to conserve water and informed that the ground water level in several areas of the city was down to 30 per cent from the usual levels in summer.