- By Nidhi Giri
- Fri, 07 Jun 2024 12:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ghaziabad News: The residents of Khoda, a locality adjacent to UP-Gate in Uttar Pradesh, have decided to take out a cycle march of around 500 km up to Lucknow to meet Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and highlight the water supply issues in their region. The residents allege that they have endured great hardship due to the lack of tap water facilities, forcing them to resort to submersible pumps and private water suppliers for their daily needs.
“Thursday's protest was against public representatives who have let us down and not provided us drinking water. It has been almost a decade since residents started demanding tapped supply. Now, we will proceed on a cycle to Lucknow on June 15 and try to meet the chief minister and tell him about our problems,” said Deepak Joshi from the Khoda Residents' Association, as per an HT report.
This move comes after a fortnight-long "indefinite hunger strike" staged by residents last November to put forth their demands. Notably, the groundwater levels have reached alarming levels in the region following extensive use of shared submersible pumps for drinking water extraction.
A resident, explaining the dire situation, stated, "Residents complained that they are compelled to buy at least two 20-litre water jars every day. This is how our families meet daily drinking water requirements. No one is listening to our woes. A major share of our household budget goes to buying drinking water."
Khoda, has an estimated daily drinking water requirement of about 10 cusecs, as per the district administration estimates. The region is home to middle and lower-income group individuals working in nearby factories and private offices in Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi.
In response to the crisis, the Khoda municipal council has approved a drinking water project for the supply of Ganga water to the area, at a cost of approximately Rs 208 crore, inclusive of maintenance for five years. KK Mishra, the executive officer of Khoda municipal council said, "We are now waiting for work to start. In the meantime, we have deployed 70 water tankers, two in each of the 35 residential wards, for the supply of drinking water."
READ MORE: Chardham Yatra 2024: 86 Deaths Reported So Far During Yatra, Says State Govt Data
The impending cycle march to Lucknow underscores the urgent need for action to address the water scarcity plaguing the residents of Khoda, who remain steadfast in their pursuit of a sustainable solution to their long-standing ordeal.
