Haryana orders plan to meet water demand in growing Sohna

HSVP and PHED have been asked to prioritise short-term supply measures after a review flagged rising population pressure in new colonies.

The Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and the public health and engineering department (PHED) have been directed to draw up an immediate plan to meet drinking water needs of newly developed and developing colonies in Sohna, amid rising population pressure, officials said.

Officials reviewed unused capacity at the Ghamroj plant, with surplus water proposed to be diverted to new residential sectors. (HT)

The directions were issued by DS Dhesi, principal advisor, urban development, Haryana government, during a review meeting held earlier this month to assess infrastructure projects in the city. A senior GMDA official present at the meeting said Dhesi asked agencies to prioritise short-term measures after reviewing PHED’s proposals.

According to a GMDA official, PHED has prepared both short- and long-term plans. Under the short-term plan, ₹18 crore will be spent to lay a 19 MLD pipeline from Ghamroj to Sohna and construct two storage tanks to supply water to newly developing sectors. The long-term plan proposes construction of a water treatment plant at a cost of around ₹268 crore.

PHED had built a 27 MLD water treatment plant at Ghamroj in 2016, which currently supplies 20 MLD to the Sohna and Rojka Mev industrial areas. HSVP’s share is 8.73 MLD, of which only four MLD is utilised, leaving 4.73 MLD unused and proposed for new colonies.

“Directions have been issued to the HSVP to work out modalities for short-term supply, as long-term projects require land and interdepartmental coordination,” the GMDA official said.

The Town and Country Planning Department has licensed about 50 residential projects in Sohna, of which 12 are completed and home to around 5,000 families.