VIJAYAWADA: Official claims notwithstanding, the water supply scenario continues to be critical in some areas of the city since the onset of summer.

It has been the general complaint of elected representatives of the city that despite having an advantage of assured availability of water from the Krishna, some areas continue to suffer without proper supply. The problem becomes more serious during summers, they complain.

In areas like Singh Nagar, Vambay Colony, Payakapuram and hilly areas of Kabela, Kothapeta, Winchpeta, Moghalrajapuram and Gunadala, the scarce supply is worrisome, according to local corporators.

Irritants

Though the construction of a treatment plant at Ramalingeswara Nagar, with a capacity of 10 million gallons a day (MGD), was completed with the facility to draw and treat water, the comprehensive network of reservoirs and distribution network planned for several colonies of Patamata and on both sides of the Ring Road as part of it has not been completed.

Also, one maintenance problem or the other is said to have been cropping up in the headwater works for the last fortnight, becoming irritants to steady and assured supply of water to many areas.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) floor leader Ch. Babu Rao says areas like Singhnagar and Payakapuram are getting 50 per cent to 70 per cent less water, because of non-completion of three reservoirs planned at Singh Nagar, Shantinagar and Rajivnagar, each with a capacity of two lakh gallons per day. As these are tail-end areas, they suffer the most, he says.

If these areas are not able to get adequate supply from the 8 MGD plant at headwater works, how can the three new reservoirs at New Rajarajeswaripet, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Colony and Vambay Colony, each with a capacity of three lakh gallons per day, can get the supply from the same plant, he asks.

Municipal Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar maintains that there is no reduction in the overall supply, which continues to be at 49 MGD.

The summer contingency plan is being implemented and monitored on a day-to-day basis.

Mr. Gulzar agrees that areas such as Payakapuram always suffer as they are tail-end areas, but the problem also lies in the huge number of connections in proportion to less number of reservoirs.

100 borewells repaired

He says nearly 100 borewells have been repaired in time for summer, while a number of tankers are being used to reach out to slums and other short-supply areas.

All the reservoirs, barring one at J.D. Nagar, which are part of the 10 MGD plant at Ramalingeswara Nagar, have been commissioned and are in full use.

The problem, the Commissioner maintains, lies in some residents using motors illegally, which affects the supply to tail end areas.

Such motors, he warns, can be confiscated.

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