Indore civic body’s water divide irks Congress

Congress corporators have accused the BJP-ruled civic body in Indore of partiality in distribution of water to their municipal wards.

Congress corporators have accused the BJP-ruled civic body in Indore of partiality in distribution of water to their municipal wards.

People wait for their turn to get water from a tanker in Khajrana area in Indore on Monday. (Shankar Mourya/ HT photo)

“The BJP-ruled corporation is indifferent to the problems of the people. The civic body is not distributing water equally in every ward,” said leader of Opposition in the municipal corporation, Congress’ Fauziya Sheikh Alim. “Municipal wards belonging to BJP corporators are getting tankers thrice a day whereas we have to run from pillar to post for a single tanker.”

Malviya Nagar, colonies around Eastern Ring Road, Banganga area, Chandan Nagar, Krishnabagh Colony, Khajrana area, Sai Kripa Colony and the villages that were recently brought under the municipal limits are facing acute shortage of drinking water. The Indore Municipal Corporation attached about 150 private water tankers for distribution of water but allegedly many exist only on paper.

“The water tanker operators are exploiting groundwater and selling them to hotels, marriage gardens and hospitals,” she said.

The fact that the tankers are unmarked or numbered has made it harder to track them or the areas to which they supply water. Alim suggested equipping each vehicle with global positioning system (GPS) to track them.

“The IMC did not conduct a capacity test on these tankers. In a hurry, tenders were floated and the civic body hired tankers. No record is being maintained to ascertain whether these tankers are supplying water to their earmarked areas,” said Alim.

A Congress corporator, Chhote Yadav, said the civic body was busy with the ongoing Simhastha fair in Ujjain and had no idea about the movement of tankers. “There is no planning or preparation for water distribution. Some areas are getting supply twice a day whereas others are not getting even a tanker a day,” he said. “A monitoring board needs to be set up to keep an eye on the situation.”

The IMC’s water department in-charge, Balram Verma, however, denied the allegation and said the civic body was keeping a close watch on the situation, particularly since groundwater levels in city fell by “at least 100 feet” this month.

“Looking at the steeply falling ground water table, we are monitoring all water hydrants and borings to keep a tab on illegal exploitation of water,” he said.