Hyderabad Water Theft Rackets Drain Twin Reservoirs
HYDERABAD: Water theft is continuing near Hyderabad’s twin drinking water reservoirs, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, which supply water to the city. Individuals are allegedly drawing water directly from the reservoirs through unauthorised pipelines and motor pumps, while others have drilled borewells near the water bodies to extract groundwater.
Illegal pipelines and borewells raise concerns
The extracted water is being filled into private tankers and sold across the city during the summer season. According to sources, the business has become highly lucrative, with one trader alone allegedly earning nearly ₹7 crore in the last three months.
Though the activities are reportedly taking place in the open, officials have failed to curb them. Allegations have also surfaced that authorities are not adequately monitoring tanker operators who engage in such practices every summer.
Tanker operators cash in on summer demand
The scale of the alleged operation suggests that earnings by other operators running similar businesses could be substantial. Residents and observers have questioned how such large-scale extraction continues unchecked despite the strategic importance of the reservoirs to Hyderabad’s drinking water supply.
Agencies pass responsibility
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Water Board) has reportedly maintained that the matter should be addressed by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA). However, the HYDRAA chief has stated that the issue does not fall under the agency’s jurisdiction.
