To say that the residents of the Pattiwila housing scheme in Gonawala, Kelaniya, are suffering is an understatement....

One hundred and fifty desperate families of this housing project, constructed by the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) during 1997-98, are going through hell without water.

Water may be everywhere, but for these unfortunate families, there is not a drop to drink.

This housing scheme has a pipe-borne water service, but for 23 hours of the day, the taps are dry. Water starts trickling in for just under an hour each day and that’s anytime between 11 pm and midnight.

"This is hell on earth as the entire scheme is one stinking mess with no proper place to dump garbage and pools of filthy water all over due to the absence of a drainage network", laments Kamal Vasantha, the organiser of the housing complex’s welfare society.

These houses were not given gratis. Residents had to pay Rs. 52,500 upfront and a monthly rental of Rs. 850/- spread over 40-50 years, he said.

"Our children fall sick constantly because of the deplorable sanitary conditions and the non-availability of water", Vasantha complained.

He asked why the NHDA cannot provide the basic amenities after charging so much of money from the residents. "We are poor people and half a lakh of rupees, which we had to initially pay, is a lot of money to us", he said.

He said when there is a downpour the houses are inundated as there is no proper drainage network to carry the stormwater. As a result, several houses have also been damaged.

"When we complained to NHDA officials at the Gampaha office, they wanted us to build a drainage network! This is official apathy at its worst", Vasantha asserted.

He said repeated complaints about the agony residents have to go through continue to fall on deaf ears as officials appear to be insensitive to human suffering.

NHDA’s DGM (Property Management) Vasantha Wijeratne, when contacted by the Sunday Island said the lack of pressure was the reason for the scarcity of pipe-borne water in this scheme.

He assured that he will take up this matter with the Water Board for necessary remedial measures.