HYDERABAD: Water works authorities heaved a sigh of relief around 12 noon on Friday on spotting the point where sewage was getting mixed with a drinking water pipeline at Chintabavi, in Chanchalguda. Many residents in the area have been falling sick since Monday. They complained about loose motion, vomiting and fever while some had to be rushed to hospitals.
After a thorough inspection officials from Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) identified three points from where the sewage was entering drinking water pipelines. The main point was beside the Sai Baba temple, a residential complex with seven flats (H No 11-1-900/1/A), owned by T. Srinivas, whose sewage pipes were damaged and were seeping into the water line underneath.
A board technician J. Srinivas, armed pipe inspection camera system, identified the point, which has since been closed.
Meanwhile, many of those who fell are recovering. Padma, a resident, said that her one and half year old granddaughter Samyuktha, said “she is feeling better after some sleepless nights as she was constantly passing stool and vomiting.”
Same case was the case with S. Pooja, post-graduation student. “I was taken to a government hospital and then to a private hospital. I have been vomiting since Monday. There is relief from Thursday evening.”
Another local Gunti Srikanth said “My three-year-old daughter was admitted in a private hospital five days back. Today, she has been discharged. But my aged neighbor, Mohammed Moin, is in ESI hospital, as motions were out of control.”
Palaka Kaushik, a graduation student, said “there is an urgent need to change all sewage lines in the area.”
Kundana Aparna, another resident, stated “this problem started around four years ago. We have been telling local leaders, who said they will be changing the pipelines which have been used for over 40 year. Their lethargy stands exposed”
Dr K. Ruchika Reddy, a physician in the locality’s Basti Dawakhana has been kept all these days. “We have taken the issue seriously. Around 25 cases were reported on Tuesday, followed by 30 on Wednesday, 10 on Thursday and three Friday morning. All patients had similar problems.”
The board’s Mettuguda area manager, Niktha Reddy said “we received a complaint on Wednesday. Only one line in this area had been mixed with sewage. Soon after locating the spot we have closed it. Water which is supplied by us is safe but it is because of the people, whose sewage connections are near water pipes, who are causing such problems.”
Chintabavi has 1700 houses with an adult population of 4,600.
Corporator of the 144 division Rasuri Sunita said, “We are constantly looking into such issues. This basti has small lanes. An amount of Rs 70 crore has been sanctioned for new pipelines here. We will be starting works soon.
