New Delhi: With just a few days to go for polling, the residents of Okhla Vihar still wake up to 'pani le lo pani' call from vendors on rickshaw carts selling RO ( Reverse Osmosis) water. They have big white water cans which they supply at a cost of 15 Rs to 20 Rs depending upon the floor they carry water. Areas like Batla House, Zakir Nagar, Jogabai, Jasola, Okhla Vihar, Abul Fazal and Shaheen Bagh are still waiting for drinking water.
Syed Akhter can't afford to sleep late, he has to get up early in the morning to buy a water can before he departs to his office. "If somehow I miss to buy drinking water from these local rikcshaw vendors, chances are I might not get water the whole day as I come late from office. I had to rely on mineral water bottle then which proves costly," Akhter said.
Several years have passed but the area's water woes are far from over. Drinking water has always been an area of concern for the locals. Sensing business opportunity, several RO plants have cropped up in the region from where the daily vendors on rickshaw buy water to sell it further to the residents. Submersible water is used for daily chores other than drinking. The hardness of water also results in the low life of the RO machines in the houses.
The worst affected areas are Shaheen Bagh and Abul Fazal, two adjoining areas near the Yamuna banks at Kalindi Kunj which have the major scarcity of drinking water. Both areas are still waiting for water pipelines.
Though the AAP MLA from Okhla says that much has been done and water is likely to reach most of the areas very soon. "We have provided drinking water in Haji Colony, Gaffar Manzil Extension, Johri Farm, Taimur Nagar Extension and parts of Zakir Nagar. Pipeines have been laid in Batla House, Okhla Vihar, Old Jasola, Ali Vihar, Madanpur Khadar Extension and Nai Basti. We are hopeful to end the water crisesin the area soon," says Amanatullah Khan,
Okhla MLA.