Thousands of Gallons of Pure Drinking Water Flowing Daily from Damaged BUIDCO Pipelines at Mayaganj and Adampur Chowk; Responsible Department Deeply Asleep, General Public Troubled
Bhagalpur (Special Correspondent): On one hand, the entire country and state are grappling with a severe water crisis, a continuous decline in groundwater levels, and a desperate struggle for every single drop of water; on the other hand, a startling spectacle of administrative apathy is on display in Smart City Bhagalpur, capable of making one's hair stand on end. The pipelines laid at a cost of crores of rupees for water supply in Bhagalpur city by the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO) have turned into a menace in sensitive areas of the city. The main drinking water pipelines of BUIDCO near Mayaganj Hospital area and Adampur Chowk, which are among the most prominent and busiest localities of the city, have been leaking badly for several days. Due to this leakage, thousands of gallons of pure and treated drinking water are everyday being wasted and flowing uselessly onto the streets. Yet, the irony is that despite witnessing this water wastage daily, officials of BUIDCO and the concerned department remain fast asleep in Kumbhakarna-like slumber.
What Is the Ground Reality at Mayaganj and Adampur Chowk?
The scenes exposing the water distribution system at these two busy intersections of the city leave every passerby shaken:
Road Turned into a Fountain Near Mayaganj Hospital: Due to a major fault in the main pipeline near the city's largest government hospital (JLNMCH) Mayaganj, water is continuously gushing out like a fountain. A waterlogging situation has developed on this route frequented by patients, ambulances, and attendants, making it extremely difficult for people even to walk on foot.
Rivers of Water Flowing at Adampur Chowk: Near the historically and commercially significant Adampur Chowk as well, water is leaking continuously from the BUIDCO pipeline. Due to water flowing over the road, the asphalt has begun to peel off, forming massive potholes that constantly invite the threat of accidents.
'Wastage of Water' Amidst Water Crisis: Who Is Responsible?
While the anxiety of falling water levels between summer and monsoon haunts every responsible citizen, the state of governmental apathy is such that sweet water is being drained pointlessly into drains:
Water Meant for Millions Going Waste: Experts believe that due to leakages at key points like Mayaganj and Adampur, at least thousands of gallons of water are wasted uselessly every single day. If this water were saved, the thirst of several needy neighborhoods across the city could be quenched.
Substandard Construction Material or Lack of Maintenance: Local residents and councilors allege that the quality of pipelines laid across the city by BUIDCO has been under a cloud of suspicion from the very beginning. These pipelines easily get damaged under slight weight loads or during road construction works. Afterward, for months, no department official ever turns up to take stock.
Outrage Erupts Among Locals and Commuters
Witnessing water flowing on the streets and the troubles caused by it, local shopkeepers and commuters harbor intense anger against the administration:
Pain of Local Shopkeepers: Expressing outrage, a shopkeeper at Adampur Chowk said, "On one hand, the government gets grand advertisements printed to preach water conservation to the public, while on the other hand, thousands of liters of pure drinking water are flowing right down the main road, and the department sits blindfolded. Can the officials not see this leakage?"
Threat of Accidents: Due to waterlogging and the formation of moss on the road near Mayaganj, two-wheeler riders are frequently slipping and falling. Ambulances carrying patients are also facing severe difficulties navigating through these potholes and water pools.
Officials' Recycled Claims vs. Ground Realities
When attempts were made to speak to the concerned engineers of BUIDCO and the Municipal Corporation regarding this serious matter, evasive responses emerged as usual:
Assurance of Repairs: Departmental officials state that they have received information regarding this leakage and the maintenance team will soon be dispatched to repair the pipeline.
The Question Is Why the Delay? The question arises that when thousands of gallons of water are being wasted daily on the city's busiest routes, why does it take the department weeks to take prompt action even after receiving information? Is it waiting for a major accident or a catastrophic water crisis to unfold?
The thousands of gallons of water being wasted daily from BUIDCO's damaged pipelines at Mayaganj and Adampur Chowk are not merely a waste of drinking water; rather, they serve as a living testimony to our flawed system and administrative indifference. The time has come for responsible officials to step out of paper-bound claims and come down to the ground to fix these leakages immediately. If this wastage is not checked in time, the people of Bhagalpur will have to face severe consequences for water in the days ahead, for which the administration will be held entirely responsible.
