Ghaziabad to get water for 3 extra hours on Holi

The water works department of the municipal corporation has chalked out a plan to supply Ganga water to Vasundhara zone for three additional hours on Holi. Officials said they will augment the regular supply as demand increases on Holi.

The water works department of the municipal corporation has chalked out a plan to supply Ganga water to Vasundhara zone for three additional hours on Holi. Officials said they will augment the regular supply as demand increases on Holi.

Residents in the city are gearing up to play Holi this year. Earlier, they used to refrain from celebrating the festival due to inadequate water supply. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The scheduled time for Ganga water supply in Vasundhara zone is from 6.30am to 8.30am and 6pm to 8pm every day.

Officials said the additional water will be supplied from 2pm to 5pm on March 24.

“The demand for Ganga water supply increases four times in residential areas as residents celebrate Holi festival in the morning and then take baths in the afternoon. Supply will be given for additional three hours in the afternoon,” Yogender Yadav, junior engineer with the Ghaziabad municipal corporation’s water works department, said.

He said that the plan has also been approved by the supervisors at the Ganga water treatment plant in Pratap Vihar.

Natural and homemade colours are preferred by residents for children’s safety. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

Residents expressed relief over the move. “Scarcity of water has played spoilsport on Holi many times. We need extra water to wash off the colours. The municipal corporation’s move to supply water in the afternoon is a major relief,” Amit Kumar of Sector 6, Vasundhara, said.

However, senior officials warned residents against wasting water during the festival.

“The additional water supply is to provide residents adequate water for bathing purposes only and not for playing Holi. Ganga water is specially treated and is a precious resource. Corporation officials and residents are requested to play a dry and safe Holi,” DK Sinha, additional municipal commissioner of Ghaziabad, said.

Further, repair work on 21 tubewells in the zone has also started due to increasing reports of water wastage due to leakage.

“In case the Ganga water supply is interrupted due to unavoidable circumstances on Holi, ground water will be supplied through tube wells to the residential areas so that festivities remain uninterrupted. Moreover, residents can also ask for additional water, which will be supplied through tankers from the overhead water tank in Sector 5,” Yadav said.