The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Water crisis grips Durgapuram

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Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Water crisis grips Durgapuram

Staff Reporter

A long wait for the precious liquid is a common sight

BHIMAVARAM: Empty pots speak it all. The scene with a number of empty pots on the road margins at Durgapuram on the outskirts of the town is a clear indication for the water woes faced by the people in this prosperous town. It’s a grim battle for the women folk to fetch a potful of water in this colony, inhabited by mostly daily wage-earners. Fetching a pot of water means agonizing for several hours for them at the expense of their routine. A large number of empty pots greet water tankers which come in every alternate day to several areas like Durgapuram on the outskirts. Near stampede situation prevails in these areas with the men and women, armed with pots, scramble for the precious liquid.

According to Malleswara Rao, CPI (M) leader and former councillor of the Bhimavaram Municipal Council from the area, the drinking water fails to trickle down to the resident s of Durgapuram through the municipal pipelines due to its location at the tail-end of the water supply system. Over exploitation of water by the people in upper reaches with the help of motors connected to the taps in their households was the reason for the water problem in the tail-end areas, he said.

Although water is available every where, it is not fit for consumption for the people in this town.

The ground water is also not feasible for drinking, thanks to land and water pollution caused by industrial wastes and pisciculture.

Proposal on paper

Mr. Malleswara Rao recalled that the municipal council had sent a proposal for construction of a reservoir at Durgapuram some five years ago with an aim to supply safe drinking water to people. It failed to become materialised yet for want of a follow-up action.

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