EXCLUSIVE The ‘water’gates of New Delhi have finally been opened for its aam aadmi, thanks to Arvind Kejriwal. But while the common janata in the Capital can now enjoy 667 litres of free water every month, back home there seems to be no such respite in sight for mana Hyderabadis. Reason? First, there is no Kejriwal here. Second, a staggering 40% wastage of water per day is coupled with the burden of free VIP supplies.
On paper, Hyderabad, has a water supply of 340 million gallons per day (mgd), but its 6.70 lakh ordinary consumers are forced to make do with just about 140 mgd. The rest is either gobbled up by unscrupulous users — who not surprisingly have managed to dodge authorities for decades now — or flowed into the overhead tanks in the houses of several babus and netas.
That they do not pay a penny for this basic amenity is no secret anymore. Rough estimates suggest that a good 38 mgd of water alone (or 27% of the total 140 mgd) goes into the plush bungalows of bureaucrats living across Punjagutta, Kundanbagh and Banjara Hills. Worse, in times of ‘crisis’ the Hyderabad Water Board (HMWS&SB) even dashes off a fleet of free water tankers to quench the thirst of these high-profile residents.
“It’s about time we put a cap on these ‘freebies’ offered to VIPs and focus on easing the burden of the common man,” said water expert S Jeevanand Reddy. Quoting his recent comparative study on the water situation across major cities of India, he said: “The problems of Delhi and Hyderabad are largely similar.
In fact, the domestic rates here are much higher than what it is there. I see no reason why we cannot replicate the AAP move here,” Reddy said, suggesting tougher auditing of pilferage and replacing of old pipelines, apart from curbing the benefits of the wellheeled, as ways of making the free-water scheme feasible in Hyderabad.
Even before the advent of Kejriwal, residents in Hyderabad were charged with over three times the rate levied on people in Delhi to get their monthly supply of water. Here’s the comparison: An average Hyderabadi household that consumes 10 kilo litres (KL) of water per month is forced to pay Rs 100 (excluding taxes) to the government. A similar family in Delhi could get the same quantity of water for just about Rs 24.20 before Kejriwal came in. Of course post Kejriwal, 667 litres are free.
“The water board does not even supply potable water and yet squeezes the aam aadmi through higher water bills,” rued N Krishna, resident of a slum near Jubilee Hills. Similar grouses were aired by consumers from other parts of the city too, who accused the department of fleecing the ordinary people to cover up for its inability to plug the wastage.
Officials, meanwhile, take cover under its huge losses and lack of funds. “We are faced with a 40% loss. Also, unlike Delhi we get no central funds. How can we even think of offering free water?” asks Prabhakar Sharma, director (technical) of the board in a lame excuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment