Businessman Mukesh Kumar had almost struck a deal for an apartment on rent at posh Vyas Enclave in Morabadi, Ranchi, last Sunday when residents apprised him of the daily water challenge.
Kumar was lucky to have had a narrow escape from settling in a parched neighbourhood, but for those who live there already, every day is an exhausting hunt for a new home.
Residents of at least five apartments on Tagore Hill Road have either migrated or are migrating to other parts of the city and even outside. Water crisis in Morabadi has made their life so miserable that they are renting out their homes at throwaway price.
Apart from misery, all these apartments have one more thing in common: lack of common sense. The apartments dug up as many deep bores as they could in their desperate quest for water over the years, but none thought of installing a rainwater harvesting structure.
"We have seven bores, one among them 950ft deep, but all in vain. We were spending Rs 900 a day for 6,000 litres of water delivered by an RMC tanker. But now, the RMC is denying supply even for good money," said Kumari Usha, wife of a Ranchi police sub-inspector, who bought a flat at Taramani Apartments in 2011.
Taramani has 24 flats, half of them empty for a week now. "I guess by mid-May, our complex will wear a deserted look. Those staying on rent have left. Those who own flats are planning to leave," said Manoj Kumar, a resident.
On an average, the monthly rent of a flat in this downhill hub is Rs 6,000. Owners are ready to waive the water fee of Rs 1,700 and yet there are no takers.
Neighbouring Aishwarya Residency has 16 flats. Eight tenants left last week despite being offered free stay till the crisis got over.
"All five deep bores collapsed last year. We used to purchase 6,000 litres of water from RMC on alternate days. Now, the RMC has announced a supply freeze. If the curb is extended beyond tomorrow (Friday), we will be in trouble," said Pankaj Kumar, a resident.
The crisis has deepened on Tagore Hill Road because it has no piped water supply.
During the budget session in the Assembly, JVM leader Prakash Ram had raised the issue. The government had admitted that the water table in Morabadi had plunged and had promised remedial measures. A hollow promise.
Homemaker Arti Singh of Aishwarya Residency spends Rs 250 every day to buy only drinking water. "Morabadi is no longer a good place to live. A 3BHK flat for Rs 3,000 won't be a good deal given the money one will have to spend on buying water," she said.
Divyanjali Apartments, next to Aishwarya Residency, has 16 flats. Seven have been vacated; two others will be soon.
Entrepreneur Avnish Kumar Sinha cursed the day he decided to buy a flat at Divyanjali. "I was not aware that the situation is so critical here. An RMC tanker is our only lifeline."
Koleshwar, a security guard at Kamla Apartments, said seven out of the 16 flats lost occupants in March-April. "Nobody wants to live here. Everyone will leave this place very soon," he mused.
RMC city manager Sandeep Kumar conceded that the corporation had imposed a temporary freeze on regular water supply to apartments because some tankers were under maintenance. "The curb will be lifted soon. Also, the RMC plans to roll out night tankers every day," he said.
