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Amid coronavirus outbreak, Ludhiana residents battle water woes
Locals say that 15 days before the lockdown, the lone tubewell that supplies water to Hero Suman Nagar and Satguru Nagar had stopped functioning. They also said that municipal corporation workers took away its motor for repair, but never returned
Amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, around 450 families of Hero Suman Nagar and Satguru Nagar in Lohara are dependent on tankers for the supply of water.
As the water in tankers lasts for about one hour, people gather around the vehicles, not caring two hoots for social distancing norms. At times, residents even indulge in verbal spats to collect the water first. Locals say the supply of water tankers is also not regular due to which people try to store as much water as they can, often resulting into spats. On Friday, no one from the two colonies got water and no tanker came during the day, the residents said.
Akashdeep of Satguru Nagar said, “Fifteen days before the lockdown, the lone tubewell that supplies water to both the areas had stopped functioning. Municipal corporation workers took away its motor for repair, but never returned. Since then, we are dependent on tankers, but they are also not regular.” Romi Raj, a Hero Suman Colony resident, said clashes between people is a common sight in the localities. KL Sachdeva of Satguru Nagar appealed to the authorities to intervene in the matter, saying that people don’t follow social distancing norms, increasing the chances of Covid-19 infection.
According to women, they do not wash clothes daily, their family members take bath on alternate days amid the scarcity of water and fear that their problems might rise with an increase in temperature in the coming days.
‘AUTHORITIES TO BE BLAMED IF CASES RISE’
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sandeep Shukla said the locals are suffering a lot. “They (locals) have made several complaints, but to no avail,” he said, adding that in case of Covid-19 outbreak in the area, the authorities would be responsible. SAD councillor from ward number 29, Prabhjot Kaur, said she has raised the issue before the MC officials several times, adding that she is supplying water to the colonies in tankers, but it is not adequate.
