Hyderabad: Water tankers have become costlier by Rs 100 for deliveries beyond 8 km up to 16 km from the Water Board filling stations. The current charges are Rs 400 for domestic and Rs 700 for commercial. In the last three days, due to shut down for Godavari pipeline repairs, the demand for tankers has increased by 200 per cent.
The highest demand is being seen in Division 6 (S.R. Nagar covering Ameerpet, Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills) with 5,000 bookings a day. However, the delivery capacity is only 800 tankers per day. Water Board revenue authorities have thus decided to run the filling stations round the clock and supply tankers at night too.
The Board has meanwhile installed 10 high pressure pumps at Nagarjuna Sagar to draw 270 MGD of water during peak summer. City Water Board Revenue director P.S. Suryanarayana said, “Tanker owners were unwilling to deliver due to the low fee, especially for distant places like Madhapur, Chanda Nagar, Kukatpally and Gachibowli that are 10 -12 km away from the station. The Board has now decided to increase the fee by Rs 100 for delivery beyond 8 km.
“Around 1 MGD of water is supplied through tankers. Also, since the bookings are high, all Water Board filling stations have been instructed to operate 24 hours a day and tankers will be supplied during night hours too.” The leakage in the Godavari Pipeline and three days of subsequent shutdown has caused severe crises in the affected areas.
Sumanth Reddy, a resident of Kondapur, said, “Many gated communities are without water. We are completely dependent on tankers to replenish your water storage. Why is the government waiting for such circumstances to arrive when they will have to impose Section 144 as in Maharashtra? They should take some immediate action to avoid that situation.”
K. Rambabu Kaipa of Miyapur added, “There’s been no drinking water for three-four days and many borewells have been dried up. We are unable to get tankers even on extra payment. Now with the increase in tanker charges, though the fee will be Rs 500, the driver will take another Rs 100.” Meanwhile , the Water Board authorities have plans in place if Nagarjuna Sagar hits the dead storage level in Summer.
“Currently 270 MGD is being drawn from Nagarjuna Sagar; once the level goes down beyond 506 feet, the Irrigation department will be unable to pump water. The Board will then draw 270 MGD by installing 10 pumps as an emergency measure till fresh inflows arrive. The current level is 509 feet,” said Mr Vijay Kumar Reddy, chief general manager, transmission wing , Water Board.
