Trinath
Billyground, Apr 7: Supply of mucky water has put residents of the district headquarters of the North and Middle Andaman region, Mayabunder, at risk of vector borne diseases. According to reports, almost all government and private establishments and ordinary citizens of the region are currently being supplied potable water drawn from the most contaminated source in Middle Andaman through APWD pipelines. While APWD officials in the region remain indolent in inspecting the source of alleged contaminated water body, the private contractor, who bagged the deal for supplying water to the Pokadera Water Treatment Plant remain defiant to safety regulations.
According to information, the Mayabunder region faces water scarcity every year during peak summers despite best efforts by the APWD to tide over the crisis. This year the APWD invited private players to enter into a contract for supply of water at the Pokadera Water Plant and a reputed contractor of the area bagged the contract. But allegations recently surfaced that the contractor draws water from a contaminated source Middle Andaman, Billyground Nallah amid reports that the APWD officials didn’t bother once to inspect the condition of the water source.
“The Billyground Nallah is literally a garbage dumping ground. All shops, health centre and villagers discard their wastes in the nallah and the stench emanating from the nallah deters all to venture anywhere near the nallah. Even animals refrain from consuming water from the source. But the contractor is least bothered about public health as one can easily notice the pump set and a water tanker positioned near the nallah,” claim some Billyground residents.
Noticing muddy water and stench in their pipelines, some residents phoned the Andaman Sheekha Bureau office at Billyground to complain about the state of affairs. “The water supplied through the pipelines is severely contaminated and many people suffered stomach problems after drinking it. The district headquarter of the North and Middle Andaman region is home to all major offices including 4 Primary Schools, one Senior Secondary School, two Secondary schools and a Degree College, besides a huge settlement. But the agencies concerned are least bothered about the filth being supplied in the form of potable water endangering human lives,” they alleged.
Asked to comment, an official of the APWD claimed that all procedures are being followed to purify the water at the Pokadera Treatment Plant. The official, however, remained silent when asked whether any scientific system was in place to kill bacteria at the Plant to prevent vector borne diseases.
Strangely, no Water Tanker was seen at the Billyground Nallah today after the APWD official was contacted.
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