Water mafia digs bore wells at will

​Hyderabad: The failure of the government to ensure protected drinking water to many areas in the city has led to water mafia having a field day.

They not only supply water at a premium but are also putting the lives of people at risk as the water being supplied by them is contaminated.

A visit to Neknampur Lake spread over 8.7 km has brought out startling facts. There are more than 50 bore wells dug all along the lake.

Sewer lines are passing next to the bore wells and sewage is getting mixed with the underground water. This water is directly pumped into tankers supplied for domestic and commercial purposes.

In fact, the water mafia claims that they have been running the business unchallenged for the last 15 years. Talking to The Hans India residents of several adjoining areas including Manikonda and Alkapuri colony said that this pathetic situation persists because of the negligence of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, revenue department and the Water Board.

Apart from being forced to buy contaminated water due to lack of supply of municipal water , the digging of illegal bore wells and drawl of water from them had resulted in the size of the lake getting shrunk.

“From a big lake it now looks like bathtub for the buffaloes,” they said. Apart from this, the lake has become highly polluted as sewer pipelines from the adjoining areas are left to discharge into it

When queried about the illegal digging of bore wells and supplying contaminated water to the people, Krupakar Reddy, owner of a private water plant entered into an argument and questioned as to why The Hans India was objecting when the consumers had no problem.

He said his clientele includes top political leaders, police and revenue officials. He said no one can do anything to him since he has been bribing them regularly.

When questioned about violating the WALTA Act, Krupakar Reddy said that he was concerned about the money he would earn from the water supply but not the Acts. “I am serving the people and meeting their water needs and making an earning out of it. I do not know why you people are making a big issue out of it”, he said.

When asked about the sewer water from the adjoining ST hostel in Vanmor entering into the bore well, Krupakar Reddy said that the Water Board officials have never responded even after several complaints lodged with them. How can I be held responsible for their mistakes, he shot back.

Subash Prasad Tiwari, another private water seller said that when the demand is high, they have to get water from all available sources. P Satyanarayana owner of a water plant said that the officials have given nod to supply water for two months, as the city was facing acute water crisis.

By:Maddy Deekshith