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Prolonged heatwave fuels water crisis in Himachal
The persistent high daytime temperatures have significantly depleted perennial water sources across the state. Yesterday, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu convened a state cabinet meeting to review the worsening water crisis. The discussion centered on finding solutions for Shimla and the low-lying plains also suffering from the intense heat.
Himachal Pradesh is grappling with one of the longest heatwave spells in the recent years, exacerbating an already dire water situation. In Shimla, water is being supplied once every three days, forcing the Shimla Municipal Corporation to ban all construction activities until June 30.
The persistent high daytime temperatures have significantly depleted perennial water sources across the state. Yesterday, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu convened a state cabinet meeting to review the worsening water crisis. The discussion centered on finding solutions for Shimla and the low-lying plains also suffering from the intense heat.
Amidst the high daytime temperature water in the perennial sources across the state is depleting fast and rapidly. The state cabinet which met under Sukhu yesterday reviewed the water situation in the state. The cabinet pondered the ways to deal with the looming water crisis in Shimla as well as the low-lying plains of the state reeling under intense heatwaves.
Shimla town was drawing only 33 MLD of water against its daily requirement of 42 MLD. The water demand is high at the peak tourist season.
Out of the 33.75. MLD water supply, 21.25 MLD water was lifted from Gumma, 9.86 MLD from Giri, 1.45 MLD on Churot, 0.45 MLD Chairh, and 0.95 MLD from Koti Brandi Scheme, officials said on Tuesday. The water sources at Seog have completely dried up. This acute shortage of drinking water has created chaos across the town. “We have to rely on water tankers to meet our daily water requirements,” says Preetam, a resident.
Sanjay, a resident of Totu, said that the municipal ward is facing an acute water shortage and people here have to depend on natural spring water resources and handpumps. Summer season is going to continue for a while and people are worried that the situation might turn worse, he added.
Restaurants close down toilets, dhabas use paper plates
Many restaurants on Mall Road have further closed the toilets for the use of customers and the dhaba owners in the lower, middle bazar, Lakkar Bazaar, and Sanjuali were now using disposable plates and glasses to serve the food to the customers. The demand for packaged water has shot up in the town. Shimla Jal Vidyut Nigam was supplying water to public toilets through tankers, but due to the arrival of thousands of tourists in Shimla, this supply is also hit.
Apart from the drying up of drinking water projects, the underground water level in the capital has also decreased significantly. Many years old step wells in the city have dried up. There are nearly 40 step wells in Shimla in different localities
Although the water of most of them is not potable, people still use it for other household work. Additional general manager water, Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL), PP Sharma said that the crisis has arisen due to a decrease in the water levels of water supply schemes following scanty snowfall during the winter season as well as the extensive heat wave situation persisting nowadays.
“The situation will improve if there is a spell of rain in the coming days but continued dry weather conditions could worsen the situation,” he added. “We are monitoring the water supply from hour to hour and water is being supplied through the tankers. The Municipal Corporation has appealed to people to use water judiciously and immediately inform the SJPNL in case citizens notice leakages,“ said Shimla Municipal Corporation mayor Surinder Chauhan.
Meanwhile, a severe heatwave was observed in Sirmaur. Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla, Kangra, and Solan reeled under the heatwave. The metrological office in Shimla has predicted rainfall in isolated places in the next 24 hours.
Power demand soars up
With the day temperatures shooting several notches above normal in Himachal, power consumption has soared 10-15% in the state. The increased demand and low supply have also led to power cuts occasionally extending up to six hours in various industrial areas owing to a lack of sufficient supply.“Industries are facing tremendous losses production losses due to unannounced power cuts in the area. We have approached the electricity department to install new transformers to facilitate industries,” said Rajiv Aggarwal, president, Baddi Barotiwaala Nalagarh Industrial Association.
