Hyderabad, April 06: Supply of contaminated water, which led to hospitalisation of over 45 residents at Chilkalguda, has kicked off a blame game between authorities.
Even as two more persons, including a woman, have been battling for their lives in two separate corporate hospitals in Secunderabad, officials have started passing on the buck. Local people say that an old man has already died after suffering from acute symptoms of water contamination, while authorities have not confirmed the death.
Railway engineers attribute the incident to polluted water supplied from Sheepmandi reservoir maintained by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) at Ranigunj.
Water from this reservoir is pumped into the Ground Level Reservoir (GLR) at Chilkalguda railway quarters. A few days ago, the HMWSSB carried out repair works at Ranigunj due to which water got polluted, they say.
The HMWSSB, however, has refuted the charge saying that the board supplies potable water from Sheepmandi reservoir not only to the Railway quarters in Chilkalguda, but also to D.V. Colony, Secunderabad Cantonment Area, and Military Engineering Services.
“If we are supplying contaminated water, then residents in all these areas should have complained of health problems. But the problem is with the Chilkalguda GLR,” maintains Board Director (Technical) S. P. Sharma.
Bulk supplies
He says the board makes only bulk supplies, while the storage and internal distribution is done by the railways.
Railway engineers say the process of emptying the GLR, which has 3 lakh litres of water, has begun and the residents are being supplied water through tankers. The 40-year-old reservoir was last cleaned in August, 2010, and was scheduled for the next round of cleaning six months later. However, the officials have admitted delay in taking up the work.
“We are also examining the pipelines connected to the quarters to prevent such incidents,” he says.
Samples collected
Railways Chief Medical Superintendent J. Swain on Tuesday said eight persons were still undergoing treatment at the Railway Hospital, Lalaguda. “We have collected 10 water samples and sent to the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Lalaguda Railway Hospital for examination,” he said.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Joint Action Water Project Monitoring Committee visited the affected areas and interacted with residents.
“Drainage water is getting mixed with drinking water in many areas and causing problems to people. We are planning to raise the issue at a wider level,” said Jasveen Jairath, committee convener.
–Agencies