HYDERABAD: Shockingly, one of the fastest growing residential areas in the IT corridor of the city, Neknampur, has just 47 pipe water connections from the HMWSSB. The 47 homes with pipe connections are the lucky few among the bustling 4,000 odd houses in the area that was recently merged into the Manikonda municipality.
The aforementioned fact was revealed in an RTI filed on YouRTI.in -- wherein it was asked how many connections the water board has in the Neknampur area. As per the data provided, apart from these 47 residences -- predominantly located in Secretariat Hills and Employees’ Colony -- the HMWSSB has installed two water sumps, of which only one functions, providing 200KL of water to the remaining of the 4,000 households.
“At the moment, we are fully reliant on water tankers that cost between Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per tanker. This is clearly a lot. What’s worse is that up until February we had paid just Rs 500 for water. Now that the government has set a minimum price of Rs 850, the private players are charging higher than that. It’s like a mafia, here,” said Manoj Kumar, Alkaapoor Township’s RWA general secretary.
The residents are attributing the cause of concern to the lethargic attitude of the water board officials as they has sat on their applications for water connections and deposits for four years. “The RTI mentions a sump of 60KL in Alkaapoori, but while the structure is there, there is no connection to it,” added Manoj.
The RTI also reveals that the village sump of 200KL capacity has used up water worth Rs 13.47 lakh in a year’s time, which is to be borne by the newly formed municipality. “Who is getting the water from this common sump? Not a drop of it has been supplied to our colony with over 4000+ homes. Are they regulating this connection?,” asked another resident from an adjoining area.
Meanwhile, authorities said that they have put water supply for Alkapuri and 78 other colonies on their priority list. “During Phase 1 last year, we received many connection applications and two sumps were set up. Before this, the residents had gotten their water from borewells; but now, they have dried up. We have forwarded request to the government for a sanction of Rs 23-33 crore to lay more lines in the second phase, which will connect 6 areas and 78 colonies,” said Ravinder Reddy, General Manager, HMWSSB.