Shimla, June 8
The soaring heatwave and tourists in the city have mounted a water crisis in several parts of the Shimla Municipal Corporation. Currently, rationing of water is being applied by authorities. In the arrangement, certain areas within city limits are given water in three to four days. Expressing anguish, the Totu unit of Shimla Nagarik Sabha has warned of an agitation if things are not made better soon.
“If water is not supplied, we would lodge protest and block the roads with empty utensils,” stated citizens’ forum. Nagrik Sabha convenor Vijendra Mehra said the people of Tutu area and Shimla city have been facing a severe shortage of drinking water for the last many days. He alleged that water is being supplied to the public after three to six days. He argued that despite charging exorbitant water bills every month, people are not being supplied enough water every day. In contrast, the Municipal Corporation and SJPNL boast of providing water to the public round the clock every day.
He highlighted that the condition of supply is pathetic in some localities. He said that matter also figured in the high court recently. SJPNL blamed erratic power supply and failure of transformers as responsible for the declining quantity of water required to the civic body. Mehra said that this is throwing dust in the eyes of the public as supply in other VIP colonies has not been disrupted similarly.
Currently, 38 to 40 MLD water is being lifted for Shimla Municipal Corporation. However, the distribution has been disproportionate, which shows the mismanagement by the Municipal Corporation. The problem is not about supply from the source but on the distribution side, noted Mehra. He said that the lack of coordination between Municipal Corporation Shimla, Jal Shakti Department, Shimla Jal Management Nigam Limited Company is also responsible for the problem. The absence of an alternative arrangement of water supply with the Municipal Corporation and Jal Shakti Department shows the poor and disorderly functioning of the authorities. The civic body has warned that if the drinking water system is not fixed, the Nagrik Sabha would follow the path of agitationd.
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