The New Indian Express 25.08.2010
Water shortage affects residents
BANGALORE: HMT ward is one of the wards of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) that has no connection with its name. The HMT quarters do not come under this ward.Neither the Corporator nor the voters of this ward can reason out why their ward has been named after HMT.
Meanwhile, the residents want the BBMP to improve basic amenities such as underground drainage system, open drains and cleanliness. The stinking clogged drains have become a nightmare for people of AK Colony. The sewage pipes also get clogged frequently. “We have approached the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board several times to replace the old pipes that were laid more than a decade ago. With the increases in the number of houses, the existing sanitary pipes are proving to be inefficient to carry the load of the sewage,” said Ramanna, a resident.
Like many other wards in Bangalore, the HMT ward also does not have a proper playground for the children. There is a shortage of drinking water at Peenya and other areas. “We are not getting water on regular basis. We find it difficult to store the water since there is no sump facility for many households in this area,” said Rangapa, a resident of 2nd Cross on Hospital Road.
The BBMP is yet to take measures to fill up potholes at cross roads. The roads were dug up for laying electric cables or water pipes, but no effort was made to fill up the ditches properly. “The BBMP officials visited this area a few weeks ago. They promised to fill up the potholes but nothing has happened till now,” said Ratnakumar, who works at a factory situated on 2nd Cross, Peenya Ist Stage.
However, Asha Suresh, Corporator, blames the BWSSB for not supplying water on regular basis. “I have never seen such inefficient and apathetic officials. I have to make several phone calls even to advise an assistant executive engineer of BWSSB,” said Asha.
She said that the BWSSB had sanctioned six borewells for this area but dug up only three. “We need six more borewells to mitigate water problems,” said the corporator.
On a defunct borewell just opposite to her residence, the corporator said that the borewell had dried up long ago. “It was not dug up during my tenure,” the corporator said.
