GUNTUR: Drinking water scarcity is looming large over the Guntur district due to shortage of water in Nagarjuna Sagar project and also due to the depletion of groundwater levels. Officials of both the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Rural Water Supply (RWS) feel that the problem is already acute in Vinukonda and Chilakaluripet civic bodies and most of the villages in Palnadu area.
The delay in releasing of water to Nagarjuna Sagar canal for filling the tanks also added to the water woes.
In some areas like Vinukonda municipality, the people staged protests against the civic authorities over the failure to provide water. The officials of Vinukonda civic body, who used to supply water once in three days in the beginning of February, now find themselves in an unenviable position due to the depletion of water level in the tanks. Now, they are unable to provide water even once in five days.
“Though we have sent proposals seeking the release of Nagarjuna Sagar canal water to fill the tanks, desilting of the tanks and sinking new bore wells, no action was taken. This has led to acute water shortage,” said an official.
He said supplying water through tankers was not possible as the daily requirement of the civic body is around 5 MLD. Municipalities like Chilakaluripet and Macherla are suffering similar plight.
“Water scarcity during the summer is normal. But, we have never witnessed water scarcity in February. If this is the condition now, imagine what would be the situation during the peak summer,” said an official of the Chilakaluripet municipality.
Meanwhile, in several Palnadu villages, the people were forced to walk miles for water with most of the water schemes in the rural village becoming defunct due to alleged negligence on part of RWS officials. Though the people’s representatives and the officials were aware of the impending problem, they did precious little in mitigating the problem, allege locals.