E-Paper
High turbidity continues to disrupt water supply in Shimla town
“Due to the rains, the water turbidity is high in the perennial sources, and it has become difficult to operate pumps. Moreover, cloudburst brought logs in the river which got stuck in the main water source, Giri pumping station,” said Pankaj Lalit, managing director, Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam.
High turbidity continues to disrupt the water supply in Shimla town. In many areas, residents are getting water supply after five days.
“Due to the rains, the water turbidity is high in the perennial sources, and it has become difficult to operate pumps. Moreover, cloudburst brought logs in the river which got stuck in the main source, Giri pumping station,” said Pankaj Lalit, managing director, Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam. He added that efforts are being made to provide water through the pipelines as well as tankers. More problems are in the peripheral areas of Shimla like Totu.
Residents are conserving water while in many places they are collecting rainwater in buckets. Shimla requires 42 MLD of water daily for its residents, However, the water supply has improved over the days. The supply is still varying between 22 MLD and 38 MLD.
“The government has failed to ensure a consistent water supply even in the capital city, and many areas continue to face acute water scarcity, with some receiving water after 4 to 6 days. Even in those areas where water supply is being provided, the majority of people are not getting adequate pressure, leading to insufficient water availability,” said former Shimla mayor Sanjay Chauhan.
He added that the situation is particularly difficult for daily-wage labourers, schoolchildren, and employees who face hardships due to the water crisis.
In recent days, Shimla city has witnessed an increase in water supply through various schemes, with over 31 to 38 million litres per day being distributed. If each person is provided with 100 litres of water per day, it could cater to the needs of 3 lakh individuals. However, in reality, many areas continue to suffer from prolonged water scarcity. To address this issue effectively, the government and municipal corporations must learn from past experiences and implement a fair distribution of water according to a well-defined schedule. This would ensure that all residents receive an adequate and timely supply of water as per the allotted time slots.
However, both the municipal corporation and the water supply company have utterly failed to manage this situation. While some influential individuals receive regular water supply, the common citizens are left struggling with meagre water allocations, even after waiting for 4 to 8 days.
Communist party of India demanded the government to provide an extended water supply to residents of Shimla town, setting aside one day to ensure everyone receives ample water for an extended period.
