They may not see eye to eye with each other politically, but the State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani Assembly constituency Indira Hridayesh and senior BJP leader and MlA from Kaladhungi Assembly constituency, Banshidhar Bhagat, met here on Friday on the issue of how to improve the worsening drinking water service in their respective constituencies. Such a meeting is significant in view of the fact that the electorates of their respective constituencies are not happy with their representatives’ promise on ensuring regular drinking water supply having remained empty rhetoric.
The fact is that most of the areas under their respective Assembly segments are dependent on electricity–driven tube-wells to meet drinking water needs. But to ensure smooth running of these tube-wells, the required power safety equipments like stablisers have not yet been purchased, leading to acute and protracted drinking water crisis in Haldwani, Kaladhungi and adjacent areas.
“Such a meeting augurs well for the people as a whole. This is especially so as electoral boundaries of the two constituencies meet. They can hardly ignore the crisis with the Assembly election drawing near. Besides, joint efforts might yield better results,” said an observer. Things look good with the minister having taken up the issue of the non-purchase of stabiliser for the tube-wells operating in Kaladhungi constituency with the additional chief secretary Rakesh Sharma on Friday.
Sharma informed the minister that the tender process is on at the government level on the matter. He further stated that after the necessary formalities are over the stabilisers would be purchased and handed over to Jal Sansthan and irrigation departments. Notably, there is no drinking water scarcity in Haldwani as the water available- about 35 million liter per day (MlD)-is more than the demand- around 28 (MlD) per day. However, poor drinking water distribution system is affecting supply.
Haldwani’s Tezpurnegi area is suffering from acute crisis with many of the tube-wells remaining non-functioning. Things are the same in several other areas like Dahariya, Unchapul and Indira Nagar. Surging mercury resulting in rise in demand of water keeps aggravating the people’s plight.