HYDERABAD: The best change, which might be the only good change, that the outbreak of coronavirus brought is that the people are more concerned about personal hygiene these days. People are washing their hands more frequently than never before to ensure that the deadly virus don’t affect them or anyone close to them. However, the residents of several areas in the city have come forward complaining that they are not getting required quantity of water for daily use.
According to information, the water supply from Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to many residential colonies in Manikonda, Alkapuri Township and Financial District has been infrequent for quite some time and now as the groundwater levels too have gone down drastically, the people are in dire straits. The groundwater levels in these areas are so scarce that the residents are scared to even wash their hands to stay safe.
Recently, an instruction note, informing people about the ways through which we can prevent the possible spread of SARS-CoV-2, was pasted in front of an apartment building in Alkapuri Township, which also mentioned sanitation and cleanliness measures to be taken and also had a mandatory instruction asking all to wash their hands frequently.
The note soon went viral on social media, after a few residents added an additional note to it, reading: "First provide us water to wash hands." It is not the first time that the people here are facing such a situation. The story of water scarcity in the gated communities and residential colony areas, repeats itself every year during summer.
However, even before the commencement of summer, some colonies in the western parts of Hyderabad have already started experiencing acute water shortage. "I knew that this was going to happen, but never thought it would happen so soon. It usually happens during peak summer," said Shyam Raj, a resident of Alkapuri Township.
"There are many gated communities wherein, the RWAs are asking residents to wash hands frequently and keep their houses sanitised. But we are not in a position to do that due to water scarcity," said one Robin Paul, a resident of the financial district.
No scarcity of water in city, says HMWS&SB
The HMWS&SB officials, however, reassured that there is no shortage of water as of now. “We have increased the supply of water to all the villages. For Manikonda, we will make sure that the supply is frequent,” official sources from HMWS&SB said