After deluge, Indore facing acute drinking water shortage

After jostling with heavy rain and a flood-like situation in the city, residents are up against another odd. This time it is crisis of pure drinking water supply.

After jostling with heavy rain and a flood-like situation in the city, residents are up against another odd. This time it is crisis of pure drinking water supply.

Indore-residents-are-facing-acute-shortage-of-pure-drinking-water-although-the-city-recently-received-heavy-rains-HT-file-photo

With drains overflowing for days, sources in the civic body say, too much pressure was exerted on the sewer lines that in turn punctured the pipes and led to water pollution at several places across Indore.

Contamination of groundwater has been reported from Tulsi Nagar and Mahalaxmi Nagar areas, where bore wells are reported to be spewing muddy water.

Similar complaints have also been received from places located on the periphery of Indore municipal limits. These areas were a part of village panchayats until 2014.

Meanwhile, a major damage in the western feeder line near Kesarbagh, which supplies Narmada water to the city, has also led to scarcity of water despite heavy rains.

"Repairing works are going on. The damage (in the feeder line) will be fixed very soon and water supply will be restored," said Sanjeev Shrivastav, executive engineer in-charge of water supply, Indore.

Talking to HT, NS Tomar, in-charge of city's drainage system, said: "While there is no major damage in drainage channels, outflow and leakages in some places cannot be ruled out" He, however, accepted that the drainage channels were age-old and required to be replaced at many places.

A proposal for laying drainage pipelines was tabled during the current corporation budget. At present the corporation is seeking financial assistance from the Centre to lay channels in 145 square kilometer area in the city.