 |
| Water leaks out of the broken pipeline in front of the court building in Rourkela. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal |
Rourkela, May 4: While several parts of the city are experiencing acute water shortage, a pipe that has broken in front of the local court building for more than 15 days is flooding the road.
Residents said that they had complained to the water supply department, but the authorities shifted the blame for the breakdown on ongoing road expansion and other development work. They said that they would repair it within a day or two.
The leaking pipe flooded the connecting roads to the court. The slum dwellers nearby also had started collecting water and children were bathing on the road, where the pipe was leaking. It was creating eyesore for people.
“We complained to the public health engineering organisation (PHEO) officials about the problem, but to no avail. When there are water problems across the city, the wastage of drinking water is a serious matter,” said Girish Mohapatra, an advocate.
Sub-divisional officer PHEO, Udit Nagar division, Anup Kumar Patel said that the pipe had been damaged due to the road expansion work and drain and sewerage channel laying work.
“Old pipes will be replaced for which the repair work has not been taken. For the time being, we are trying to stop the flow of water,” said Patel.
At present, the temperature here is hovering above 42°C. The PHEO authorities said that they had been making every possible arrangement to provide water to the residents in the slum areas where there is no pipe water facility. Water is being provided through tankers.