No summer discontent,promises Jal Sansthan

COME SUMMER, half the city goes thirsty. Rotten pipelines, defunct tubewells, out of order handpumps are only some of the problems faced by the common man. Talking to HT Lucknow Live, general manager Jal Sansthan RK Tripathi claimed to have braced up this summer to counter the water problem with a Rs 5.5 crore plan.

To save Lucknowites from a parched summer, Lucknow Jal Sansthan has sent for approval a Rs 5.5-crore plan to the government. Jal Sansthan authorities have sought money from government for repair, rebore and installation of new tube wells, handpumps and ‘pyaus’ (kisosks). According to Jal Sansthan sources, Jal Sansthan will arrange nearly 50 kiosks at various places for commuters. In a letter written to Urban Development department Jal Sansthan has sent an SOS to the State Government to release funds from the last years budget.         

“We require the amount for repair of 1,100 handpumps, 15 tubewells and installation of 8 new tube wells in the city,” said Tripathi.

“ The Jal Sansthan don’t want to get stick from the residents of the city, that’s why it is preparing itself for the summers on war footings” said Tripathi.

Tripathi added, “We have to repair all these things before summers, or else, it would be too late.”

He said the Jal Sansthan proposed new tubewells at eight new places in the city to meet the water scarcity during the summers.

Last year, Jal Sansthan officials faced the rage of Lucknowites a number of times. This year not only Jal Sansthan but the Jal Nigam too has been entrusted with the work of installing 800 handpumps by LMC before the onset of summer.

“The repair of 1,100 handpumps and 15 tubewells, would need some time so we want timely release of funds,” said Tripathi adding, “Besides, repair of old pipelines and repair works in water reservoirs of Aishbagh and Gaughat is essential.”

Repeated protests of Rajajipuram residents have paid rich dividends with Lucknow Jal Sansthan rewarding them with a huge zonal water reservoir having the capacity of 4 million litres, the water reservoir can quench the thirst of 50,000 people per day. The reservoir will start functioning in March.

Besides, zonal pumping stations of KKC and Aishbagh would be attached to the rising main line which will solve the water problems in the areas like AP Sen Road, Pan Dariba, Latouche Road, Aminabad, Ganeshganj and Lal Kuan.

The Jal Sansthan is also working on its ambitious project of installing automatic centralised control of its tube wells to control all tube wells in the city from a single place, hence maintenance cost of tube wells would be reduced and manual errors minimised.