SMC to finalise water policy by Aug 31

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 9

The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Monday set August 31 as the deadline for the submission of Rs 930-crore Kol Dam lift drinking water and sewerage project to World Bank.

“The project will be readied within five years and is expected to meet the water demand of the city till 2050,” said SMC engineers.

Sources said World Bank had asked the state government to formulate a policy on how the SMC would supply 24x7 water supply to the city and its peripheries.

“We are finalising the water policy and the government has set August 31 as the deadline for submitting it,” Dharmender Gill, Superintending Engineer, SMC, said.

“We have prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for starting the 24x7 water supply in three wards of Sanjauli-1 and Sanjauli-II and Totu on a pilot basis,” said Gill.

“After the water policy is notified by the state government, World Bank will sign an agreement for funding the project in October this year. We have set a five-year target to complete the project,” Gill said.

The SMC has included the Special Area Development Authorities (SADA) areas of Mashobra-Kufri, Ghanati and Shoghi under the project.

Water will be lifted from the Kol Dam on the Sutlej. The project will add about 104 MLD of water to the existing kitty of about 45 MLD that will provide 24x7 water supply to residents of the city, which needs 45 MLD daily.

The SMC is also thinking of replacing the old sewer lines. “The DPR for left-out areas like Panthaghati, Shivnagar, Mehli and Badagaon is ready,” Gill said.

He added that the state government had formed the Shimla Jalvidyut Nigam as desired by World Bank. The bank has already approved Rs 930 crore for the Kol Dam project.