GUWAHATI, Aug 20 - Tall claims made by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) about providing adequate water to the city residents remain negated as the taxpayers get municipal water only once after a gap of three days now.
Regular supply of drinking water at Chandmari, Chandmari Colony, Kharghuli, Noonmati, Silpukhuri and the surrounding areas has remained affected for nearly six months after a water pump of the Satpukhuri Water Supply Treatment Plant went out of order. However, GMC officials claimed that the pump was repaired and normal water supply from the plant was restored recently. The Corporation had brought an expert from Kolkata to repair the damaged water pump.
Even now residents of several affected areas have to depend on rainwater and bottled water.
Former deputy mayor of GMC Balendra Bharali who had raised questions regarding the quality of the newly purchased pumps, said that the running capacity of the Satpukhuri pump got reduced after it was repaired.
It may be recalled that concerned citizens along with former mayor of GMC Mrigen Sarania, former deputy mayor Bharali and former councillor of Ward Number 4 Shyamal Kumar Chakraborty had raised questions regarding the quality of the newly purchased machines after those became non-functional within a few days of being commissioned. They had even demanded an inquiry into the whole matter and also sent memorandums to the GMC in this regard.
A resident of Government Press Road, Bamunimaidam said, �When the pump was being repaired, the GMC used to send water tankers to our locality on alternative days. But now, even after the pump has been repaired as claimed by the Corporation, we have neither got piped water for the last three days nor seen any water tanker. To overcome the shortage, we are purchasing water from private suppliers.�
A resident of Krishna Nagar in greater Chandmari area said that the people living in the hilly areas are the worst hit.
A GMC official said that less than 30 per cent of the over 15 lakh population in the city receives piped drinking water.
The official also raised a pertinent point. He said, �Our piped water supply remains affected as many unscrupulous people despite receiving piped water provided by the Corporation, illegally drain water from municipal pipes by using additional pumps. That is why people in the hilly areas got less water. This pilferage of water puts additional burden on the GMC.�
�Moreover, many people let out portions of their residences on rent. Consequently their requirement for water increases day by day,� the official added.
The official further said that the water woes of the city would be solved only after completion of the big-ticket water supply projects which are running behind schedule, even as the population in the city continues to grow.
�GMC has no plans to provide water connections to additional households as the installation capacity of the pumps gets reduced every year. In areas with no provision for piped water supply, the public have no other option but to suffer shortage of clean water,� the GMC official added.
GUWAHATI, Aug 20 - Tall claims made by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) about providing adequate water to the city residents remain negated as the taxpayers get municipal water only once after a gap of three days now.
Regular supply of drinking water at Chandmari, Chandmari Colony, Kharghuli, Noonmati, Silpukhuri and the surrounding areas has remained affected for nearly six months after a water pump of the Satpukhuri Water Supply Treatment Plant went out of order. However, GMC officials claimed that the pump was repaired and normal water supply from the plant was restored recently. The Corporation had brought an expert from Kolkata to repair the damaged water pump.
Even now residents of several affected areas have to depend on rainwater and bottled water.
Former deputy mayor of GMC Balendra Bharali who had raised questions regarding the quality of the newly purchased pumps, said that the running capacity of the Satpukhuri pump got reduced after it was repaired.
It may be recalled that concerned citizens along with former mayor of GMC Mrigen Sarania, former deputy mayor Bharali and former councillor of Ward Number 4 Shyamal Kumar Chakraborty had raised questions regarding the quality of the newly purchased machines after those became non-functional within a few days of being commissioned. They had even demanded an inquiry into the whole matter and also sent memorandums to the GMC in this regard.
A resident of Government Press Road, Bamunimaidam said, �When the pump was being repaired, the GMC used to send water tankers to our locality on alternative days. But now, even after the pump has been repaired as claimed by the Corporation, we have neither got piped water for the last three days nor seen any water tanker. To overcome the shortage, we are purchasing water from private suppliers.�
A resident of Krishna Nagar in greater Chandmari area said that the people living in the hilly areas are the worst hit.
A GMC official said that less than 30 per cent of the over 15 lakh population in the city receives piped drinking water.
The official also raised a pertinent point. He said, �Our piped water supply remains affected as many unscrupulous people despite receiving piped water provided by the Corporation, illegally drain water from municipal pipes by using additional pumps. That is why people in the hilly areas got less water. This pilferage of water puts additional burden on the GMC.�
�Moreover, many people let out portions of their residences on rent. Consequently their requirement for water increases day by day,� the official added.
The official further said that the water woes of the city would be solved only after completion of the big-ticket water supply projects which are running behind schedule, even as the population in the city continues to grow.
�GMC has no plans to provide water connections to additional households as the installation capacity of the pumps gets reduced every year. In areas with no provision for piped water supply, the public have no other option but to suffer shortage of clean water,� the GMC official added.
