Non-functional tubewells add to water crisis in city

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 5

While the city is reeling under a water crisis, the “non-serious approach” of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation can be gauged from the fact that 20 per cent of the tubewells are either non-functional or have been abandoned.

The non-functional tubewells are resulting in a shortage of 4 million gallons per day (MGD) of water. There are 248 tubewells in the city. At present, the water availability in the UT is 87 MGD. Of it, 67 MGD comes form the Kajauli canal while the remaining 20 MGD is generated through tubewells.

  According to data available with the MC, there are 19 non-functional tubewells, 14 have been abandoned, nine are under the “re-boring” process while nine have been kept off due to technical or mechanical reasons.

Of the 248 tubewells, only 197 tubewells are in a proper working condition. A majority of the non-functional tubewells are either in colonies and villages or in southern sectors. 

  Slamming the BJP leadership for the water crisis in the city, former Mayor and Congress councillor Subhash Chawla said city Mayor Arun Sood should have held a meeting with MC officials in January to resolve the problem of the non-functional tubewells. It was because of a poor leadership that the city was reeling under a severe water crisis this year, he said.

MC water supply committee chairman and BJP councillor Satinder Singh said it was surprising that so many tubewells were non-functional. He said he would soon hold a meeting with MC officials and members of the water supply committee to initiate steps in this regard.

Only 204 tubewells under SCADA

Of the 248 tubewells, only 204 tubewells are under supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). The SCADA system prepares a daily report of operation of tubewells and boosters in the city. 

Mukesh Bassi had visited tubewells in 2012

In 2012, the then chairman of the water supply committe and Congress councillor, Mukesh Bassi, had visited various tubewells during morning hours with MC officials. The committee had also prepared a report and suggestions were given to MC officials to improve the functioning of the tubewells. The practice was followed only in 2012 and thereafter no such inspections were conducted  to check non-functional tubewells.