Khoda Colony, established approximately five decades ago, is currently facing a severe humanitarian challenge. While the population has surged to nearly 12 lakh, the infrastructure has failed to keep pace, leaving residents grappling with an acute water shortage.

Plummeting Groundwater And Prohibitive Costs

Due to excessive extraction and a lack of alternative supplies, the groundwater level in the area is continuously falling.

Critical Depth: Residents report that water levels have dropped to 700 feet in some areas and below 1,000 feet in others. The situation is so dire that submersible pumps are failing even at depths of 1,000 feet.

Unaffordable Infrastructure: While some wealthy residents have installed private submersible pumps, the cost is prohibitive for the majority. Installing a deep-boring submersible pump currently costs between Rs 400,000 and Rs 500,000, a sum most families cannot afford.

Rise Of The Illegal "Water Mafia"

The scarcity of water has given rise to an unregulated and exploitative illegal water market.

Tanker Mafia: An illegal tanker network supplies water to the colony, charging between Rs 300 and Rs 500 to fill a single 500-litre tank, which typically lasts a family only one day.

Surge Pricing: If the water needs to be pumped to the second floor or higher, an additional surcharge of Rs 100 to Rs 200 is levied.

Private Exploitation: Residents who have managed to install submersible pumps are also capitalising on the crisis. These individuals sell water to neighbors, charging Rs 2,000 per month per family to fill their tanks. By depleting shared groundwater resources for profit, these individuals are earning hundreds of thousands of rupees monthly.

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Voices From The Ground

The crisis is forcing families to choose between basic necessities and water, with many cutting back on education and food budgets.

A Khoda resident Raju Kumar said, "Buying water not only disrupts our budget but also affects our entire lives. We have to cut back on household expenses and our children's education."

Another Khoda resident Sunil Kumar said, "Due to the water shortage, the situation in Khoda is worsening day by day. The groundwater level is falling. If the Ganges water supply does not start soon, the situation will deteriorate further."

Resident Amarendra Kumar said, "Every family here buys water to meet their daily needs. This completely disrupts the household budget. It also affects the children's education."

Manoj Kumar said, "Installing a submersible pump for water also costs 4 to 5 lakh rupees. We do not have that kind of budget. It is better to buy water just to get by."

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