Reacting to the transport department’s recent decision to seize private vehicles supplying water, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Mayor Mrigen Sarania on Saturday said that he had requested the transport department to halt their drives against the private vehicles supplying water for the time being.
This comes amid severe heat wave gripped Guwahati city and triggered a drinking water crisis.
Sarania assured that the private vehicles supplying water across Guwahati will continue to operate as before.
Speaking on the action of the Transport Department seizing the private water supplying vehicles, Sarania said, "These water suppliers don't possess any valid documents and have no permit for supplying water, however, looking into the current situation of water crisis and keeping in mind of the severe heat condition in Guwahati, I have requested the transport department to halt their drives for some days."
It may be mentioned that due to the water pipeline burst incident in Kharguli area, Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) water supply was suspended as technical experts of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) were examining the fault in the process along with the entire infrastructure. The repair work will reportedly start once all tests and monitoring work is completed.
On this, the GMC Mayor said that JICA water supply is likely to resume from June 5 and have urged the residents of Guwahati to remain patient for the next two days.
Meanwhile, the drivers of the vehicles had staged protest today in Guwahati alleging that the state government and transport department are continuously harassing them.
Earlier, Assam State Congress Secretary and President of All India Professionals Professionals' Congress (AIPC) Assam state unit Gauravv Somani said that they had been receiving various complaints from throughout the city against the GMC water tankers for providing dirty water which looks to be fully contaminated with harmful bacteria and germs.
“The entire city is facing the scarcity of drinking water amidst such scorching heat. The city residents have started coming out on the streets registering their protest. On the other hand GMC water tankers and private water tankers are delivering complete dirt and contaminated water to the city residents which have become a more serious threat to one’s health,” Somani alleged in a statement.
“Its consumption might land a person with severe kidney problems, cancers, blue baby syndrome, diarrhea, acidity and dental disorders as the water are contaminated with high levels of chemicals, metal fluorides, nitrate, salinity and iron. The bigger question is as to where are the private tankers sourcing their water and providing the same as safe drinking water to the city dwellers? It is to be mentioned that most of the residential apartments and private residence are dependent on water provided by private water tankers. Why is the Government not taking any steps to check and test the purity of water provided by water tankers? What is stopping them from doing so? Above all water tankers are charging exorbitant rates too and the entire GMC officials have turned a blind eye to the problems,” Somani added.
