The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Sand quarrying threatening drinking water schemes

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Sand quarrying threatening drinking water schemes

Correspondent

Mediapersons observe a gravel road laid on the river bed

VIZIANAGARAM: Illegal sand quarrying in the river Champavathi that has been going on unchecked is threatening the drinking water wells on its bed. Owing to quarrying, water levels in the infiltration wells (Nos. 1,3,4,5 and 6) depleted to 11 –15 feet in each well against the average 22 feet. The second well had collapsed during cyclone-2006. As a result, the municipality has resorted to supplying water on alternate days.

Mediapersons, who were escorted to the infiltration wells by TDP councillors in the municipality on Sunday, observed a gravel road laid up to the well No.6 in the river bed and trucks lifting sand. K. Appala Naidu, a helper, at the Ramatheerthaalu pump house has informed the visiting correspondents that JCBs are usually used after sunset for lifting sand. Over 100 trucks on an average leave the riverbed with loads of sand every day, he added. “If this illegal quarrying goes unchecked the water scheme would become defunct in the near future,” said V.S. Prasad, TDP floor leader in the Municipal Council. The supply has already been restricted to 16 million litres per day against 29 mld from all sources, including the Mushidipalli scheme.

Power-cuts

Unscheduled power-cuts at the pump house were another major problem. Dr. Prasad said that a paid dedicated feeder line from Garividi sub-station was disconnected and shifted to town feeder for unknown reasons after the Congress took reins of the municipality two and a half years ago. Moreover, he said the municipality made no efforts to get the burnt transformer at the pump house replaced even after seven months. The party district vice-president and former floor leader Prasadula Ramakrishna said the municipality was so irresponsible that it had not even appointed a qualified technician to monitor the supply position. The pumphouses were handed over to a private contractor on a year lease, he said. Party town committee president I.V.P. Raju and others were present.

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