The Hindu 09.06.2010
Regular supply of clean drinking water sought
Staff Correspondent
Bijapur: Residents of Gandhi Nagar locality in Bijapur city staged a “rasta roko” here on Tuesday demanding regular supply of clean drinking water.
The residents, who were carrying empty pots, raised slogans against the authorities concerned for not taking steps to solve the problem even after repeated pleas.
They said that the pipeline supplying drinking water to their locality was damaged and this had led to contamination. Several people, especially children, were having health disorders after consuming the contaminated water, they said.
Four months ago Bijapur City Municipal Council authorities said that the responsibility of supplying drinking water had been handed over to the Water Board and that the water supply situation would improve in the city.
However, there had been no improvement in the situation, the protesters said, and alleged that no official had visited their locality to address their problems.
Sunanda Soudagar, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, told The Hindu that it was very difficult to get even two pots of clean drinking water in the locality every day.
She alleged that the ward Councillor Milind Chinchalkar, who is also vice-president of the CMC, had not taken any steps to address the problem in spite of the residents submitting several memorandums.
The agitation was withdrawn after CMC officials assured the protesters that immediate steps would be taken to ensure regular supply of clean drinking water in the locality.
