MC plans to install hand pumps at Rs12L

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 16

The civic body is working on a plan to install hand pumps at a cost of Rs12.02 lakh in the city. The Municipal Corporation is working on it despite the fact that groundwater is said to be unsafe for human consumption. The district is also well-known for its contaminated underground water.

Tall claims made by the MC to provide adequate water supply have fallen flat as in many areas, city residents are not getting adequate water supply.

Around 30 per cent areas in the city are still deprived of sufficient water supply due to this, residents in these areas have to depend upon on water tankers. These tankers are sent by the civic body on a daily basis.

Even the water provided through the tankers is not enough for each household for daily consumption. To meet the demand, residents have to cover a lot of distance to get water and they get it from a hand pump or a RO plant installed in their nearby areas.

Water is being supplied to many areas, including Sanjay Nagar, Bangi Nagar, Pratap Nagar, Amarpura Basti, Naruana road, Udham Singh Nagar, Janta Nagar and Jogi Nagar, through water tankers.

Water pipes were laid many years ago in many areas, but connections have not been provided to residents due to which they are facing problems.

Noida-based Triveni Company was allotted the Rs 288-crore project for 100 per cent sewerage maintenance and water supply in the city. The company has been working on the project since 2015. But, it is accused of working at a snail’s pace. It seems that providing adequate water supply to residents has become a Herculean task for the authorities.