Torrid times ahead for water scarce city suburbs

Hyderabad, Feb 10 (INN): The gradual rise in temperatures as summer advances is making the residents of Barkas and Pahadi Shareef break into a sweat. The hapless residents, rich and poor alike, start to fidget at the thought that their troubles would be increased due to the non-availability of one of the most important requirements of life, water.

The well-off residents of these areas, mentally calculate the increase in their monthly expenditure after being forced to shell out a package to the water tankers for its supply, even as the poor mentally calculate the number of trips they would have to undertake to bring pots of waters from faraway places home.

Even before mid-February has arrived, the few taps installed along the roadside of quite a few localities are running dry. For now, the residents are managing their water requirements by purchasing the priceless commodity. If the residents opt to go on for purchasing water in a tanker, it is not economically feasible, since a a potful of water would cost them about Rs 20, since the tanker is available at Rs 600.

Majority of the residents in areas like Sadat Colony, Ali Nagar, Minar Colony, Huda Colony and adjoining areas cannot afford to purchase water and thus are forced to queue up on the roadside with empty containers waiting for the tankers sent by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Some of the residents, who cannot afford to wait endlessly, prefer walking and or pedaling to faraway locations to fetch their 'pail of water.' Speaking to INN, one of the residents of Ali Nagar Najam Ali rues that, 'Water scarcity has become a grave problem in Pahadi Shareef and Barkas areas. We have to trek up to five kilometers to fetch water. We do get tanker but we have to pay for them. Matters have come to such a state that now- a-days a pot of potable of water is being sold for Rs 20.' Najam Ali went on, 'For the past two months I have been getting water from these tankers. I do not know for how long would I be able to bear the increasing financial burden.'

Ironically, these localities fall under Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy constituencies. 'Frequent water shortages have become the bane of Barkas and Pahade Shareef. Residents complain, but the authorities, instead of evolving long-term solutions, resort to makeshift arrangements every time pressure is built on them to resolve the complaints,' added Najam Ali.

The local authorities contend that they are trying their best to mitigate the sufferings of the people but say that it is not possible to meet the water requirements of the people at their doorsteps. Najam Ali says, 'If such situations continue, the residents of Barkas and Pahadeshareef areas face a torrid time this summer, when the need of water is more acutely felt.'