AGRA'S WATER WOES

Agra May 13 (IANS) 

With day temperature crossing 44 degrees celsius  the increasing demand for water has triggered protests and marches across the city.  The two municipal water works have once again failed to meet the demand.

Pipelines are either leaking or bursting, leading to suspension of water supply.  The authorities say there is an acute shortage of raw water from Yamuna. Officials of the more than a century old Agra Water Works blame the age-old pipelines-network which remains clogged, rusted and  over-used.

People in several areas have been protesting with buckets and matkas, but the authorities express helplessness citing infrastructural inadequacies.  For more than a fortnight people in many areas, especially Trans-Yamuna colonies have been facing an acute water shortage. Water is being supplied through tankers. A large number of people have left Kalindi Vihar and other colonies due to water crisis,  

The state government had announced two years ago that it would construct a barrage downstream of the Taj Mahal. But work is still to begin on dredging and cleaning the river bed. The canal system and the community ponds have not been cleaned or desilted. “The problem  really is of storing and managing the water resources that are available, but they have no such plans, though there is so much talk of transforming Agra into a Smart city,”  River Connect Campaign member Dr Devashish Bhattacharya said.

Last year the local  MLA Yogendra Upadhyaya of the BJP had promised that  the "water problem of the city would be over once the Gangajal pipeline from Bulandshahar district becomes operational.” The ganga jal has come but Agra’s water woes continue. The main water works at Jeoni Mandi is still to be connected with the Ganga Jal pipeline.

While politicians and government officials continue to offer all kinds of excuses and promise early relief, it is the voluntary groups and good Samaritans that have come forward to put up a chain of water huts for the pedestrians. The water woes of the pedestrians and two and three wheeler passengers, were  being effectively addressed, thanks to a "Pyaoo" water hut-network run by a voluntary group Sri Nath ji Nishulk Jal Sewa.   

Providing free safe and cold drinking water for commoners who can not afford to buy bottled water, has been one major goal of this unique water service Sri Nathji Nishulk Jal Sewa, that also provides water at railway stations. As the scorching sun roasts and bakes those forced on the streets, the only hope comes from the  yellow painted ubiquitous water huts in the Taj city. Come summer and it's easy to spot elderly men and women with buckets and trolleys, providing pedestrians with refreshingly cool and scented drinking water on the streets, says Ashok Rathi, an ex-corporator.

In the olden days, charitable organisations opened pucca "pyaoos" to provide water to the pedestrians but now that practice is over. The municipal taps do not work and the hand pumps in most areas run dry. People who can not buy drinking water rush to the Sri Nathji water hut which provides them scented and iced water. 

The network came into existence after the 1987 Chhattisgarh Express accident in Agra when many commuters got trapped inside the train and were in dire need of water. Local people decided to help by pooling in money and arranging for water.

Since then the Sri Nathji Nishulk Jal Sewa has been looking after the water needs of thousands of commoners. They draw water from borewells and mix it with the sweet-scented 'kewra'. The project's chief coordinator Bankey Lal Maheshwari says: "Sri Nath ji (god Krishna) is the president and the funds come from small and big donors who voluntarily keep sending money. Most do not even wish to be identified. Agra is one place in India where you don't find water being sold at road crossings like in Delhi and other big cities.”

While opening a pyaaoo (water-hut) on Saturday on Yamuna Kinara road, UP minister SP Singh Baghael acknowledging the good work done by the organization, said “it was a unique service for man kind. Quenching thirst with cool refreshing water in this scorching heat was a valuable contribution.”

Rickshaw pullers, cyclists, pedestrians, passengers in buses, cops on duty, and just everyone else who is on the road feels relieved in the presence of the Sri Nathji Jal Sewa water huts.

Inspired by the service, a large number of voluntary groups this year have opened water huts in colonies and in busy areas. “This is such a relief. In this weather cool and fresh water is more important than food. You realize this when you see hundreds of school children lining up the Sri Nath ji Pyaaoo at the Yamuna Kinara road, for a tummy-ful of water,” says social activist Shravan Kumar Singh.