No respite from contaminated drinking water supply in Rohtak

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, April 23

Contaminated water is being supplied to certain localities in Rohtak city for two to three weeks. However, repeated complaints and reminders by the local residents have failed to evoke any effective response from the authorities concerned.

Water pipes ‘damaged’

• Residents alleged that after several complaints were sent, health officials came and collected water samples. However, the quality of water was still poor.
• Official sources said water supply pipes laid decades ago had got damaged, which led to the mixing of waste water with fresh water.

Official sources said water supply pipelines laid decades ago had got damaged, which lead to the mixing of waste water with fresh water.

Residents complained that they had to fetch drinking water from other colonies or buy it from private suppliers as the water being supplied to them was not fit for consumption.

“It has been over three weeks that muddy and smelly water is being supplied to Srinagar Colony. I have sent complaints and reminders to the Executive Engineer concerned, the Civil Surgeon and the Deputy Commissioner. A team of the Health Department came and took samples of water being supplied to our locality. However, there is no change in the quality of water,” said Dr Hariom, an associate professor at a Rohtak university, who is a resident of the colony.

Dr Hariom has pointed out in the complaints and reminders that the supply of contaminated water may lead to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. “No action has been taken on the complaints so far, except for collection of water samples from our locality,” he lamented.

Sanjeev Kumar, another resident of the colony, said they had been facing a crisis of drinking water for about 20-22 days as the water being supplied to their locality was completely unfit for drinking.

Complaints regarding the supply of contaminated water have been received from certain other localities as well.

Gaurav Badhwar, a resident of Model Town, complained that dirty water was being supplied in their area for the last 10 days.

A report regarding the supply of contaminated water in the Model Town area was published in these columns last week, following which the department had swung into action. However, the faults are yet to be rectified. “Workers were sent to our colony by the Public Health and Engineering Department, but the fault could not be detected,” said Badhwar.

Public Health and Engineering Department Superintending Engineer RK Sharma said he had directed Executive Engineers and Sub-Divisional Engineers concerned to do the needful and he would personally visit the sites to get the issues resolved.