Nikol residents being forced to buy potable water this summer

Though the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has said that it has secured enough water resources to quench thirst of the residents of Ahmedabad, more than 500-odd households in Nikol are having to buy water this summer. The top official of engineering department of east zone expressed ignorance, while lower level officials blame administrative issues for the problem.

Meanwhile, residents of Rukshmani Society, Avkash Society, Jaysuryanagar, Sahjanand Society and Mansi Society located in Nikol are facing problem of lack of water supply for nearly a week. They have to buy water from private contractors as the civic body does not pay any heed to their requests. The PVC water pipeline in the area develops cracks every now and then resulting in lower water pressure. "We complaint to the civic body officials but in vain," said Puspendrasinh Rajput, resident of Jaysuryanagar.
"We have to pay Rs400 to private contractors every other day to obtain pure potable water," said Lal Sinh, another resident of Jaysuryanagar.

The residents, along with the local corporators, have raised the issue to the officials but failed to get desired result. "We represented the case to the additional city engineer of the east zone. The leakage in the pipeline may end up in contamination of water leading to jaundice," apprehended Dr Suresh Patel, corporator of Nikol.

However, additional city engineer DT Arora, expressing ignorance about the whole issue, said, "I have not got any representation from any one in this regard. However, I will look into the matter and find out the solution as early as possible," claimed Arora.

On the other hand, lower level officials in the engineering department said that the department plans to change the pipeline. However, as the financial year is nearing an end, they are not getting caste iron pipes from the central store, leading to the water shortage problem, said official.