VISAKHAPATNAM: Patients and their attendants, who had a harrowing experience for three days due to breakdown of water supply at King George Hospital, heaved a sigh of relief finally as a new pipeline was laid to replace the damaged one at 7.45 pm on Saturday. Long queues of patients and attendants carrying buckets were witnessed before the tankers at the blocks where water supply was hampered following breakdown in the water supply main pipeline at the KGH main gate on Thursday afternoon.
Water shortage impacted patients and attendants at KGH as they ran from pillar to post for three consecutive days. Water supply was disrupted as a 40-year-old pipeline got damaged. Despite the best efforts of the KGH administration, water supply could not be restored, forcing them to arrange water tankers.
Condition of the patients was pathetic as they struggled to get a bucketful of water. Though the KGH administration deployed a good number of tankers, they were not enough to meet the needs of the patients and their attendants. A patient said they did not get enough water for their daily chores at the hospital ward and such a situation was never experienced in KGH. He said some people made a killing by collecting money for supplying water.
KGH RMO Bindu said water supply was restored finally as a new pipeline was laid with the help of engineers of GVMC water supply department. She said though they have taken all steps to ensure sufficient water supply, it was not enough.
GVMC tankers did not have motors which have capacity to lift water to tanks mounted on the terrace of the blocks. Hence, water was carried in drums and buckets on all the three days and filled underground sumps to meet urgent needs, Bindu said. She said they ensured continuous water supply to the emergency ward. Only elective cases were postponed.