Flood-hit residents allege contamination of water supply under Mission Bhagiratha
People are drinking water supplied through borewells as the recent spells of heavy rains have enhanced groundwater levels
ADILABAD: Residents of flood-hit villages have alleged that drinking water supplied under the Mission Bhagiratha is contaminated, with irrigation officials asking people not to consume it in several instances.
Instead, people are drinking water supplied through borewells as the recent spells of heavy rains have enhanced groundwater levels, according to residents of Dongachintha, Chapral, Mattadi, Rajulamadugu, Gangapur, Kamai and Aliguda villages in Utnoor mandal.
They also alleged that consumption of contaminated water led to cases of diarrhoea, typhoid and fever in flood-affected colonies of NTR, Ramnagar, Rallapet Colony, and Old Mancherial town in Mancherial district. Meanwhile, cases of seasonal diseases are also on the rise in flood-affected areas, residents said.
The poor water supply has led to increased demand for borewells in villages, with TRS MLAs also paying to get the work done in some instances.
Adilabad BJP MP Soyam Bapu Rao got borewells dug in villages of Gadiguda mandal, while BJP leader Kotnaka Vijay of Asifabad did so in Tiryani mandal. Asifabad’s TRS MLA Atram Sakku also got a borewell installed in the Sirpur (U) mandal on locals’ demand.
A TRS mandal praja parishad member of the Utnoor agency area, requesting anonymity, said the Mission Bhagiratha failed to provide safe drinking water to the area.
“The Mission Bhagiratha water pipelines were damaged at various places and the floodwater is being mixed. Officials concerned have failed to rectify the problems even after being informed of the same,” the members said.
Over reports of contamination, Smita Sabharwal, a secretary to the CM, directed officials to go for extra purification of water supplied under Mission Bhagiratha.
Further, official sources said that medical officials of the integrated tribal development agency are conducting a rapid fever survey in areas under 16 PHCs in Adilabad, 11 in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad and four in Mancherial districts.