Protests and dharnas for water by residents of several parts of the city have become a regular feature, even in the rainy season, as the city municipal council has failed to supply water to these areas for past one month.
The residents fed up of the laxity of the authorities concerned have tried all kinds of protests and dharnas like blocking roads, installing pendals on the road and staging dharnas, protesting with empty pots and some even included school children in protest.
Some even went to the extent of laying siege to the CMC office and locking up the office.
On Monday, the residents of Ward no 4 in the City locked up the office of CMC protesting the poor water supply.
The residents said the CMC staff supplied water to the houses of those people who gave them money. The valvemen who are highly corrupt act according to their whims and fancies.
“One cannot get water without bribing the valvemen,” they added.
The CMC officials, as usual, are just paying lip service to the needs of the people.
Though the water crisis is common during the summer, this year it is persisting even in the rainy season, they added.
Interestingly, residents of many wards in the City had staged protests and dharna, days before the arrival of monsoon demanding proper water supply.
On June 4, the youths of the K G Mohallah in Ward 5 sat on fast at the Deputy Commissioner’s office against the apathy of authorities. The protest was led by District Youth Congress.
Another issue that has come to the fore is the efficient supply of water. Though some of the areas lack water supply, there are other areas where despite availability of water, it is not supplied efficiently. Interestingly, residents who earlier cursed the CMC representatives or now turning their ire on CMC Commissioner and engineers.
In a fix
The CMC members are now in a fix. The members find themselves at the receiving end on the issue of poor water supply. It can be recalled that many CMC members themselves have protested over the issue. Recently, Raveendra, a CMC member from Ward 12, protested in a unique manner. At a CMC meeting, Raveendra wore a board ‘ Give water to Ward no 12’ to convey the anguish.
The CMC members have found themselves alone on the issue in and outside the CMC.
An apology
In an apology of a sort, MLA Varthur Prakash, at a programme in Ward 35, said he had made mistake by giving chance to undeserving people to contest in the CMC election during his initial years as MLA. As a result, the deserving people were not elected leading to the poor administration, he said and added that in the coming days chance would be given to deserving people.
Prakash and Union minister Muniyappa both have promised get more funds and sink more borewells in the coming days to solve drinking water crisis.
Technical reason
However, City Municipal Council Commissioner C H Rai has blamed the acute water shortage on technical faults and lack of rain.
He said motors of the borewells broke down frequently leading to repairs and non-supply of water.
“Further, due to lack of funds, CMC has given the maintenance to private sector.
Usually, a day or more is required to repair a motor but the impatient residents stage protest even without that time,” he added.
The problem faced by the residents of the Ward no 4 is unique as valvemen Kumar had on purpose closed five valves leading to crisis. However, the problem has been addressed, he told Deccan Herald.
