Midsummer nightmare for 500 Lucknow families as taps run dry

LUCKNOW: Around 500 families in Azadnagar and Alambagh areas have been enduring severe water crisis for a month. Despite complaints to jalkal department and local representatives, no action was taken.
Residents are now receiving only two hours supply of water daily—for one hour each in morning and evening—instead of usual 16 hours. Moreover, the water is black, foul-smelling and unsuitable for drinking, bathing, or washing.To fetch water, families wake up early to join a queue at a water tank connected to a submersible pump of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, one-km away from their homes.
CPWD contractor Mohammad Imran, 31, said, “We’ve been without water for over 45 days and when we get it, it’s unfit for use or consumption.” Mechanic Mohammad Habib, 40, said, “In this scorching summer, there’s no water at home. We use motorcycles and trolleys to fetch water.” Executive engineer of jalkal department, Sachin Yadav, said, “For a week, the overhead tank couldn’t be filled because of power cuts but hope to resolve the problem soon.”