Bhopal: Water crisis in Bairagarh and other densely populated areas in Bhopal may prompt residents to defy corona curfew if civic body did not act soon.
Resentment is brewing among residents over rationing of water in these areas and the situation is likely to worsen in coming days if the crisis is not addressed.
Water is supplied either on alternate days of for just 10 minutes in most of these areas. Due to police barricading for effective implementation of the curfew, ferrying of water in tankers to these old city areas is not possible at the moment.
In most of the old city areas the water supply is not regular and due to frequent bursts in Kolar pipeline, these areas witness suspended water supply for more than two days.
If water crisis is not addressed immediately, there are chances of violation of lockdown and social distancing in these areas.
The water shortage issue is rampant in colonies and areas getting water supply from the upper lake and areas which get water from Kolar also suffer due to the frequent pipeline bursts.
Water level of upper lake has gone down to 1660 feet from full tank level of 1666.80. It will further sink until rains arrive.
A resident of Bairagarh, Madhu Chandwani, said, “Water is supplied on alternate days and we get water tankers when some of our former corporator calls to civic body officials. These water tankers often lead to a gathering but it will violate the lockdown or social distancing.”
Meraz, a resident of Chhawni area, said, “Water shortage is severe here as we receive water for just ten minutes. Water tankers reach in these areas with much difficulty due to police barricading all around and recently when there was a burst in Kolar pipeline, the residents had to reach some other colony to get water from a tanker.”
Recently, the residents in Bairagarh and Kolar had taken it to social media to inform about dirty water supply to their houses.
Contaminated water
Water filter plant at Manuabhan Ki Tekri is of 50 MLD and is withdrawing extra water from the upper lake. The plant was inaugurated in August 2020. Thus the water level of the lake dropped to 1660 feet, this year. It used to remain around 1662 feet earlier in the same period previous year. Due to low water level, the turbidity rises which leads to dirty water supply.
