Social media erupted with anger as Bhopal was deprived of regular water supply on the consecutive fifth day on Monday.
Netizens slammed the civic officers for disrupting supplies amid peak summer without making alternate arrangements.
Partial supply was restored in many areas on Sunday night and continued on Monday morning but the local residents of having received soiled water which wasn’t fit for any domestic use. In some areas, the locals alleged that snakelets and worms were found in the dirty water supply in households.
Most parts of the city were ensured water supply through tankers and taking advantage of the situation, the private suppliers brought about a four to five times price surge in the rates of tankers. The tankers which otherwise were available at Rs 300-500, are now selling at Rs 2,000-2,500.
Taking cognizance of the severe water scarcity, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sought a report from Bhopal Municipal Corporation Commissioner VS Chaudhary Kolsani. However, Chouhan, UAD minister Bhupendra Singh and others have expressed resentment over the ‘botched-up’ situation.
The corporation had planned to start 60% water supply in the city through new pipelines but the plan backfired miserably. This should not have been done in peak summer but the top officer did not listen, an officer engaged in water supplies said.
On Sunday, the corporation restored supplies in many areas after Minister Bhupendra Singh and Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur expressed strong resentment on water supply issues.
Congress MLA Arif Masood slammed the BMC for corruption and ill-management. Naming Superintending Engineer AK Pawar, Masood demanded action against the officer blaming him for the water supply mess. The corporation started work without any planning and messed up the entire supply system leading to a water crisis for 12 lakh locals, he added.
The CM reportedly has ordered the BMC to restore supplies at the earliest and for the time being, instructed the civic body to ensure supplies through tankers and other means and also inform locals about these arrangements through the media. The Chief Minister has also sought an Action Taken Report from the BMC commissioner.
Meanwhile, the locals are busy arranging water day and night for the last five days. Public sources like wells and tube wells are seeing long queues of the locals. People also were seen jostling it out for water when the tankers landed in residential areas.
Shutdown fails miserably
The BMC had planned a 60-hour shutdown to start supplies from the new water pipelines on May 12. The corporation had planned to continue supplies through tankers but the system failed miserably and locals got deprived of water. The 60-hour task is unfinished even after 90 hours have passed.
BMC promises a quick response
In the line of fire, BMC commissioner VS Chaudhary Kolsani speaking to the media on Monday said that the issues will be resolved at the earliest and normal supplies will be restored. New pipelines will lead to increased water pressure and supplies are expected to be regular from Tuesday onwards. Issues of soiled water will be resolved soon, added the officer.
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