E-Paper
Residents forced to stay up at night to fill water tanks as power cuts hit supply
According to Jal Sansthan officials, power cuts in the range of 1-10 hours are behind the irregular water supply in the state capital.
LUCKNOW City residents are faced with a double whammy -- to bear the sweltering heat with intermittent power cuts and to deal with water shortage due to frequent outages. As a consequence, residents of several localities are forced to stay up till late as the water supply comes in full force only during the night, hence, making it an optimal time to fill household water tanks.
According to Jal Sansthan officials, power cuts in the range of 1-10 hours are behind the irregular water supply in the state capital. In this backdrop, Jal Sansthan officials have been demanding a separate feeder for water supply. However, their demand has not been met because tubewells in several rural areas of the city make it difficult to create a feeder.
Speaking on the issue, Ram Kailash, general manager, Jal Sansthan, said, “It’s difficult for the Jal Sansthan to fill up water tanks when power cuts continue for several hours. We should be given a separate feeder to supply water despite power cuts in Rajajipuram, Faizullahganj, Ashiyana, Alambagh, Sadatganj, Bullaki Adda, and Rakabganj. The Jal Sansthan is finding it hard to ensure regular supply water because of power cuts.”
In the past few days, residents of many localities -- including Thakurganj, Fazullahganj, Rajni Khand, parts of Alambagh, Indira Nagar sector C -- had to be supplied water through tankers because of long breakdowns in power supply.
According to Jal Sansthan officials, just like power, the demand for water also increases during summers. Against the daily supply of 750 mld per day, Jal Sansthan is supposed to supply 900 mld during the summer season. However, due to various reasons, the Jal Sansthan has been able to supply only 650 mld of water per day. Hence, the water crisis in the city.
Anoop Nigam, a resident of Rakabganj said, “We have to stay awake till 2 am to fill water for the next day. Water is not supplied at proper pressure during the day time, so, we fill our water tank during the night. It’s difficult to work during the day when we have to remain alert till 2 am.”
Echoing the concern, Sanjay Pandey, a resident of Sardari Khera Alambagh, said, “For the last 15 days, we have been receiving erratic water supply. Even the Jal Sansthan officials say that they are helpless because their tubewells will operate when the power supply is proper.”
Meanwhile, Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) officials said that load shedding is going on in some of the areas as transformers are overloaded due to an increase in the demand for power.
Countering allegations by the Jal Sansthan, Sanjay Jain, chief engineer, LESA Cis-Gomti, said, “I can’t agree to what Jal Sansthan officials are saying. Yes, there are power cuts but not for as long as they claim. They are just making an excuse for their failure to supply water. Outages aren’t that long to affect the filling of water tanks or supplies. If there is any problem, then they should specify, and we will take care of that.”
Significantly, the demand for power in June reached its maximum -- at 1,688 MW -- on Tuesday night in Lucknow. Last year, the demand peaked at 1,644 MW on June 14.
