HYDERABAD: A dispute over drinking water supply in Khannagar, Bhavaninagar, between two neighbours led to a big fight on Tuesday night, bringing into light the severity of water problems being faced by residents of many localities of Hyderabad.
According to the Bhavaninagar police, Mohammed Ali, a YouTube blogger, and his father Mohammed Ahmed, entered into an argument with their neighbour Mohammed Rafiq over the quantity of drinking water being supplied to their locality. Irate over the argument, Rafiq alleged attacked Mohammed Ali and his father.
Mohammed Ali also attacked Rafiq and later bit him. The trio suffered bleeding injuries in the fight. Mohammed Ali claimed that he had requested the authorities concerned to increase drinking water supply in his locality but they authorities favoured Rafiq who had objected to his request. Rafiq had a strong political influence, police sources revealed.
The police registered cases against both the parties and sent them to hospital for treatment.
Cases of causing bleeding injuries were registered against both Ali and Rafiq under Section 324 of IPC and investigation was in progress, Mohammed Amjed Ali, inspector of Bhavaninagar police said.
Meanwhile, 90 per cent of people living in different localities of Old City say they have multiple problems related to drinking water in their areas. Despite several representations by the public, the authorities are reportedly not able to meet the demand for drinking water supply.
To make matters worse, residents have been facing drinking water contamination, low pressure, damaged pipe lines, illegal connections, alternate day supply for a limited period and no water supply in high altitude areas.
“We get drinking water alternate days, that too only for two hours. Due to frequent power cuts during the time of water supply, the situation gets even worse. We cannot pump water in an overhead tank but have to fill large containers with buckets from the tap,” Safia Begum of Noor Khan Bazaar said.
People living in Sultan Shahi on the right lane of Sultan Shahi Kaman complain about contaminated drinking water supply while residents of interior localities complain of low pressure. “For the past six months, we have been getting contaminated drinking water. During the rainy season, the problem increases. We have been buying drinking water from the nearby water filter plant,” Mohammed Fakruddin, a senior citizen, said.
The drainage pipes laid during the Nizam’s rule run parallel to the water lines. When drainage pipes developed cracks, they had been getting highly contaminated water that was of no use, said Manga, a resident of Pardiwada.
“Several times we were abused and assaulted by the locals. We lack funds to fix pipes or lay new lines,” a senior official from HMWSSB said. “We laid new lines in Akbarbagh Chandulal Baradari and are doing our best to solve the issues,” he said.
