10,000 residents in Penal/Debe without water

YVONNE WEBB

OVER 10,000 residents in the Penal/Debe Region are affected by a critical water shortage problem.

In some communities, residents have not received a pipe-borne supply for 20 days.

Chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation Dr Allen Sammy blamed the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) malfunctioning delivery system for the crisis.

He is now calling on Public Utilities Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to address their water woes.

Sammy said in every electoral district people are having water problems.

Barrackpore West councillor Nicholas Kanhai said Congo Village and Ramai Trace, Debe, have been without a pipe-borne supply for the past 20 days. Kanhai said fifty households are directly affected as a result.

“Many of these homes have babies as well as senior citizens, several of whom are infirm and on dialysis.”

Sammy said affected residents in Kanhai’s electoral district from Lalbeharry Trace, Katwaroo Trace. Transfer Village, Mohess Road and the many side traces are also claiming unfair treatment by WASA.

In the Esperance/Debe East /Union Hall district, representative Mohanie Ramnarine said over 3,000 residents in Papourie Road, Jim, Opal and Falcon Traces, Gopaul and Temple Streets, have not had water for 16 straight days.

There is a similar cry from councillor for the Penal district Shanty Boodram who has identified some 4,000 residents, “floored by WASA’s delinquency.”

“Traces along the Penal Rock Road from Lachoos Road to the seven-mile mark, Clarke Road and its branches and Aquart Village have not received a supply, in some cases for 21 days.”

Sammy said, “The corporation is pointing out to the new minister that the historical neglect of a region not inclined to protest is not an indication of weakness.

“Rather it is indicative of a people willing to operate within the law and express their anger at the appropriate time through the ballot box.”

Newsday reached out to Hinds, but received no response.