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Chandigarh councillors demand water supply in afternoon
MC had increased water supply by one hour in morning and evening in September.
During Wednesday’s House meeting, municipal councillors asked for water supply in the afternoon instead of extending water supply timings in the morning and evening.
MC commissioner KK Yadav directed the superintending engineer (public health), Shailender Singh, to examine the request, and see whether it was technically feasible to supply water in the afternoon.
MC increased water supply by one hour in morning and evening after Punjab governor and UT administrator VP Singh Badnore inaugurated the ₹200-crore Phases 5 and 6 of Kajauli waterworks on September 28, making additional 29 MGD (million gallons daily) available.
However, former mayor Arun Sood said despite increase in the morning and evening supply, the general impression among public was that they did not get any benefit from the project.
The morning supply was extended till 10am when most people already leave for work. In evening, supply now starts at 5pm when people don’t return from work, he said. “Even homemakers can’t use increased supply effectively because of odd hours,” said Sood.
He said it was better to start afternoon water supply, so that the initiative was more visible to city residents, apart from the fact that homemakers can make best use of it in the afternoon.
Councillor Asha Jaswal said MC will have to increase water tariff due to its fiscal issues, but it will be difficult for councillors to justify the hike if people did not see tangible changes in the city’s water supply.
Another councillor Shakti Prakash Devshali said earlier too MC supplied water in the afternoon even as engineers were of the view that afternoon supply will increase MC’s expenditure since motors will be running throughout the day. Besides, MC did not have enough storage capacity to sustain afternoon supply.
However, the MC chief asked engineers to examine the request fully before reaching any conclusion.
