Shimla grapples with water crisis

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 15

Even as Shimla is facing a water crisis, water is being pilfered from the Giri water scheme, one of the two major schemes providing water to the city.

At the storage tank of the scheme near Fagu, locals discovered an illegal connection given from the main line allegedly to the nearby under-construction hotel.

MLA Theog reached the spot and filed a complaint with the police against the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) Managing Director.

SJPNL MD Dharmendra Gill said there was no provision of giving connections from the main line. “The connection will be snapped immediately and inquiry will be ordered to find out how and why the connection was given,” said Gill.

Rakesh Singha alleged that there were reasons to believe that the pilferage wasn’t just one-off case. “The High Court has asked the SJPNL where 8 million litre water is going out of 32 million litre as it needed only 24 million litre to provide water on alternate days. I think now we know the answer. There must be several illegal connections through which water meant for Shimla residents is being pilfered,” he said.

“A SIT should be constituted to find out the extent of the problem,” said Singha.

Ex- Mayor Sanjay Chauhan demanded an FIR against the guilty. “This is a criminal act. The ministers concerned should take responsibility and resign,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sohan Thakur, a local resident, said, “The SJPNL does not allow us to take water overflowing from its tanks. But when it comes to obliging influential people, all rules are thrown out of the window,” he said.

“The beneficiary is getting 24x7 supply as he has been provided the connection from the main rising line. The locals, on the other hand, are not getting water even after 10 days,” he said.

Earlier in the day, residents of the nearby Deorighat panchayat blocked the national highway for an hour. They relented only when they were assured regular supply through tankers by Jal Shakti Vibhag officials.

Probe to be ordered

There is no provision of giving connections from the main line. The connection will be snapped immediately and inquiry will be ordered to find out how and why the connection is given. — Dharmendra Gill, SJPNL MD

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