Tankers to be blacklisted

HYDERABAD: With many private water tankers diverting water to commercial establishments like restaurants, hotels, shopping complexes and hostels at exorbitant prices, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has decided to blacklist them.The Water Board decided to take action after many complaints from customers who despite booking water tankers in advance, through the Metro Customer Care (MCC) are not getting water supply at the right time. However, due to the nexus between owners of commercial establishments and tanker owners, the former are allegedly getting water in a few hours by shelling out an additional `200 or more.Speaking to Express, HMWS&SB executive director K Ashok Reddy admitted certain owners and drivers are hand-in-glove with commercial establishments and supplying water booked by customers in advance. “We  caught some of the tankers diverting water to commercial use and plan to blacklist the tankers,” Reddy said.Some 800 to 1,000 customers who book water tankers through MCC but many are not getting tankers at the required time causing them hardships, said the official. The cost of a water tanker of 5,000 litres capacity is `325 but drivers are allegedly selling them to commercial establishments for `500 to `600.Out of 509 tankers in the city, 398 are payment tankers and 111 are free tankers that supply water to slums, tail-end areas and places where there is no adequate water supply. But some free tankers are being also being diverted to other places.Ashok Reddy added that if customers find any delay in arrival of water tankers after booking in advance, they should report to the Board. “The Board will take stringent action action against erring drivers and tanker owners,” Reddy said.