Drinking water problem in TS villages as groundwater dips following scanty rainfall

ADILABAD: The interior areas are faced with a serious drinking water problem this summer due to the rising temperatures. The groundwater levels have come down drastically due to scanty rainfall in the old Adilabad district.

Villagers say this has resulted in poor groundwater recharge and hence the tanks, rivulets and streams were not fully recharged. This meant early drying-up of tanks, streams and rivulets, unlike last year. The inhabitants of these areas are thus forced to depend on polluted water for their drinking and cooking purpose.

Women are trekking hills despite the summer heat to reach rivulets and streams on the other side to fetch drinking water. Some of them have fainted while there were others who fell sick due to sunstroke.

The drinking water problem is acute in tribal and other areas in Narnoor, Gadeguda, Sirpur (U), Tiryani and Lingapur mandals in the Old Adilabad district.

Evidently, there is a lack of coordination between officials of RWS and Mission Bhagirata. No official or people’s representative is responding when people complain about the water problems. At many places, there are leaks in the pipelines. Pipeline laying works are going on at various places under Mission Bhagirata.

Villagers say officials failed to supply drinking water to them in tankers, unlike previous years.