Residents submit memo to DC over water scarcity

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 16

Residents under the banner of Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR) on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, through the district revenue officer regarding the drinking water crisis in the city and surrounding areas due to the closure of the Sirhind canal for maintenance work.

They said the crisis happened due to poor water storage arrangements and mismanagement of water supply by the Municipal Corporation authorities and the Irrigation Department.

District president of AFDR Bagga Singh, general secretary Pritpal Singh and press secretary Dr Ajit Pal Singh said to ensure a regular water supply to the residents the storage capacity of the water tanks should be increased.

They said water was essential for human survival and to ensure the sufficient supply of safe drinking water to the residents was the responsibility of the state government. Even the requirement of water for the agriculture purpose should be kept in mind and such water crisis should not be manmade.

They demanded that the repair work done in the canal and water tanks should be made public and the desilting of the water tanks should be completed at the earliest.

Several areas in the city are reeling under a severe water scarcity for the past few days, and the areas at the tail-end are worst hit. Inadequate water supply has forced the residents to rely on the groundwater which is unsafe for human consumption.

They demanded the lifting of the ban on collection of waste from the houses of the residents by private persons. The new arrangement forced by the MCB to lift the waste through small vans is not regular and satisfactory, rather they are forcing people to carry the waste from the house to the van themselves which is not possible as the timings of the vans are not fixed and some houses are at far-away place. The new system should be optional, not the compulsory, for every house to adopt it.