Severe water crisis in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri; residents rely on tankers
Charkhi Dadri, May 21
Residents of Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district are grappling with an acute water crisis, with households increasingly dependent on water tankers for their daily needs amid a prolonged shortage.
Locals say the situation has persisted for over a week, disrupting daily routines and forcing families to either wait endlessly for tankers or purchase water at high prices.
A resident said, "There is no water. We have been facing this problem for more than a week. Children have to go to school, but how will they take a bath?... Even if we are calling for tankers, they are not available on time... Earlier, the water used to be so dirty that the children used to fall sick... No one from the administration has come yet."
Another local resident said, "There is a severe water shortage in Charkhi Dadri. People haven't received even a drop of water for the past week. As for the tankers, we have to call them multiple times... People have to buy water for Rs 800 to Rs 900."
Amid this, India, especially the Northern part, has been grappling with the severe heatwave with temperatures soaring past 45 degrees Celsius.
Dr Shalini Tyagi, Director of Paediatric Care at Medanta, Noida, on Thursday, advised parents to take extra precautions for children amid rising heatwave conditions, warning that children are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat stress and related infections during extreme weather.
The warning comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh, with similar conditions likely in several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.
Speaking to ANI about the impact of heat on children's health, Dr Tyagi said, "Every weather change affects children more than it affects adults. If you look at it, children have a larger body surface area relative to their weight, meaning they absorb more heat. Additionally, their thermoregulation system is not as well-developed as it is in adults."
She further warned that seasonal heat is leading to multiple health complications among children, adding, "Because of the heat, we frequently see children suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration, and certain respiratory infections also increase during this time."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who visited India last year, I was amazed by the development, but stories like this remind us of the infrastructure gaps. The heatwave makes it even more dangerous. Hope the authorities act fast to help these people.
This is exactly why we need to revive our traditional water bodies and implement rainwater harvesting in every village and town. The problem is not lack of water, but poor management. Every summer, same story repeats - politicians do photo-ops, but ground reality never changes. Children falling sick from dirty water is unacceptable. 😡
It's alarming that children are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. The doctor's warning about dehydration and respiratory infections is crucial - families need clear guidance on keeping kids safe during this heatwave. Hope NGOs step in to distribute clean water while officials sort out the supply issue.
I'm from a village in Haryana and this hits close to home. The irony is that we have miles of canals from the Bhakra and Yamuna systems, yet villages like these are dry. The water mafia often controls tankers too - charging exorbitant rates. The district administration should invoke the Disaster Management Act to ensure free water distribution during this heatwave.
Why is there always an orange alert but no action plan? The IMD gives warnings, but where is the ground-level response? In this heat, even one day without water is torture. The Rs 800-900 per tanker is simply exploitation. Time for the CM to intervene directly and sack officials who failed to ensure water supply.