Seven people died and over 200 were hospitalised after drinking contaminated water at Bholakpur in Musheerabad on Tuesday. The contamination happened due to seepage of sewage water into the drinking water pipeline. Tragedy struck after several
complaints to Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) in the last few months went unheeded.
Tension prevailed at Bholakpur with three people dying on Tuesday morning and several others being forced to be shifted to nearby hospitals after they complained of severe diarrhoea.
Furious residents broke a pipeline and attacked water board officials and netas who trooped in for a ‘dekko,’ forcing police to resort to a mild lathicharge to control the situation.
Trouble started on Tuesday with the death of four-year-old Aman, a resident of Siddiquinagar, around 8 am. A little later, a resident of Tareeqnagar Mohammed Osman (65), died due to diarrhoea. At about 10 am, another girl Taiyaba Tarun, 14, of Indiranagar succumbed. Earlier on Monday, an seven-year-old boy, Feroz of Indiranagar had died. Though officials refused to confirm, locals said two persons—Sohm, 48, of Indiranagar, and Mohd Iqbal, 50, of Rajeevnagar—died due to the same reason on Monday.
Another woman, Kausalya Bai, of the same area died late on Tuesday. Residents say that tap water in virtually all areas had got contaminated and residents regularly complained of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis. At least one person in every household in areas like Indiranagar, Siddiquinagar, Mohdnagar, Gulshanagar, Rajeevnagar, Berban Galli and Tajeernagar has been hospitalised.
Those attacked by angry residents included Water Board manager David Raj who fled the scene. Windshield of Secunderabad Lok Sabha MP Anjan Kumar Yadav’s car was broken by the irate public. Musheerabad MLA T Manemma, who landed in her constituency, had to beat a hasty retreat after police advised her not to visit the area. Health minister Galla Aruna and others visited the patients at Gandhi and other hospitals avoiding Bholakpur. BJP leader K Laxman, TDP leader Lal Jan Basha, PRP leaders ravan Kumar, K Srinivas Yadav and Charminar MLA Mohd Pasha Quadri also faced the wrath of the public.
Local residents say they have been complaining about the foul smelling water since August last. “I represented to the Musheerbad MLA about change in colour of water and the stench in August 2008. After that, I met David Raj, manager of the area, thrice and gave petitions. But till date, there has been no corrective action,” Taufiq Ahmed, a scrap dealer of Bholakpur, told TOI. Mohd Sharief, a mechanic, said both water and sewer pipelines run parallel to each other. “As the pipelines were laid about 40 years ago, they suffered damages leading to contamination,” Sharief, whose wife has been admitted to Sowmya hospital due to diarrhoea, said.
HMWS&SB executive director K Harsha Vardhan claimed that the water contamination was due to tanneries located in the area. “Several residents dug up pits near their water taps and wash untanned leather in the pits. After watersupply stops, the polluted water gets into the pipelines causingwater-borne diseases,” Harsha Vardhan said.
GHMC special officer S P Singh has ordered an inquiry into the incident and called for a report within three days. Cabinet minister M Mukhesh Goud announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased. He said 10 medical camps were set up in Bholakpur area and special medical teams were deployed to check outbreak of diarrhoea.
“Safe drinking water will be supplied to the area by tankers till the pipeline works are completed. Pipeline works expected to cost Rs 42 lakh will be taken up on nomination basis and completed in 15 days,” he added.
complaints to Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) in the last few months went unheeded.
Tension prevailed at Bholakpur with three people dying on Tuesday morning and several others being forced to be shifted to nearby hospitals after they complained of severe diarrhoea.
Furious residents broke a pipeline and attacked water board officials and netas who trooped in for a ‘dekko,’ forcing police to resort to a mild lathicharge to control the situation.
Trouble started on Tuesday with the death of four-year-old Aman, a resident of Siddiquinagar, around 8 am. A little later, a resident of Tareeqnagar Mohammed Osman (65), died due to diarrhoea. At about 10 am, another girl Taiyaba Tarun, 14, of Indiranagar succumbed. Earlier on Monday, an seven-year-old boy, Feroz of Indiranagar had died. Though officials refused to confirm, locals said two persons—Sohm, 48, of Indiranagar, and Mohd Iqbal, 50, of Rajeevnagar—died due to the same reason on Monday.
Another woman, Kausalya Bai, of the same area died late on Tuesday. Residents say that tap water in virtually all areas had got contaminated and residents regularly complained of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis. At least one person in every household in areas like Indiranagar, Siddiquinagar, Mohdnagar, Gulshanagar, Rajeevnagar, Berban Galli and Tajeernagar has been hospitalised.
Those attacked by angry residents included Water Board manager David Raj who fled the scene. Windshield of Secunderabad Lok Sabha MP Anjan Kumar Yadav’s car was broken by the irate public. Musheerabad MLA T Manemma, who landed in her constituency, had to beat a hasty retreat after police advised her not to visit the area. Health minister Galla Aruna and others visited the patients at Gandhi and other hospitals avoiding Bholakpur. BJP leader K Laxman, TDP leader Lal Jan Basha, PRP leaders ravan Kumar, K Srinivas Yadav and Charminar MLA Mohd Pasha Quadri also faced the wrath of the public.
Local residents say they have been complaining about the foul smelling water since August last. “I represented to the Musheerbad MLA about change in colour of water and the stench in August 2008. After that, I met David Raj, manager of the area, thrice and gave petitions. But till date, there has been no corrective action,” Taufiq Ahmed, a scrap dealer of Bholakpur, told TOI. Mohd Sharief, a mechanic, said both water and sewer pipelines run parallel to each other. “As the pipelines were laid about 40 years ago, they suffered damages leading to contamination,” Sharief, whose wife has been admitted to Sowmya hospital due to diarrhoea, said.
HMWS&SB executive director K Harsha Vardhan claimed that the water contamination was due to tanneries located in the area. “Several residents dug up pits near their water taps and wash untanned leather in the pits. After watersupply stops, the polluted water gets into the pipelines causingwater-borne diseases,” Harsha Vardhan said.
GHMC special officer S P Singh has ordered an inquiry into the incident and called for a report within three days. Cabinet minister M Mukhesh Goud announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased. He said 10 medical camps were set up in Bholakpur area and special medical teams were deployed to check outbreak of diarrhoea.
“Safe drinking water will be supplied to the area by tankers till the pipeline works are completed. Pipeline works expected to cost Rs 42 lakh will be taken up on nomination basis and completed in 15 days,” he added.
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