Shimla: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today directed to restore the water supply from Ashwani Khud for Shimla town at the earliest and for taking immediate measures to check pollution up-stream from this water source.
Virbhadra Singh, in an emergency meeting to assess the drinking water supply to the town, said the pollution in small nullahas up-stream Ashwani Khud needed to be checked as this was one of the main cause of Jaundice outbreak in the town.
Singh stressed to ensure that the habitations upstream Ashwani Khud, lacking proper sewerage and drainage system should be linked with one main sewerage pipe to be drained for treatment, so that the water of the Ashwani Khud did not get polluted.
He said that to fulfill the drinking water needs of the people of the Shimla town falling within and outside the Municipal areas all the local sources should be restored after proper treatment and day to day inspection be conducted of the water samples.
Meanwhile, the water supply should be expedited from the tributaries of Ashwani Khud viz: Koti Brandi and Been said the Chief Minister and it should be ensured that the water of these tributaries were free from polluting agents.
It was informed that the estimate for replacement of water source for Lift Water Supply Scheme (LWSS) Ashwani Khud from Koti Brandi and Been nullahas with discharge of 4.78 MLD and 0.90 MLD has been prepared and the work would be completed before 15th May, 2016.
The gaseous chlorination dosers were being installed at tanks in Craignano, Bhakelti and Dhalli and the installation process would be completed by 15th April, 2016. These dosers are more effective for chlorinating water and making it safe for drinking.
The Chief Minister also directed to work round the clock to give relief to the people of the Shimla town and its vicinity by ensuring equitable water supply and to fix a lower minimum period for distribution of water. He said that the MC, Shimla should ensure that the water reaches every household after lower minimum period and it should not happen that the people were left dry for continuous five to ten days or so without a drop of water.
The Chief Minister also directed for proper operation and maintenance of Sewerage Treatments Plants (STPs). A decision for installation of automatic discharge meters at the main pipe lines was also taken at various sites which would be completed by end of this month.
Secretary, IPH Anuradha Thakur briefed about the measures being taken to ensure timely supply of drinking water to the people of the town within and out of the MC limits.
She said that day to day monitoring was being done to complete the work on Koti Brandi and Been nullahas so that immediate relief could be given to the people. She said that at present there was a shortfall of about an average of 4 to 5 MLD water adding that around average 39 MLD of water used to be pumped from Guma, Giri and Ashwani Khud to cater to the water requirements of Shimla town
She informed that the work on lifting the waters from the Kol Dam Water supply scheme would be started soon and the World Bank had been requested to send their team at the earliest.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur MLAs, Anirudh Singh and Suresh Bhardwaj, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chief secretary, P. Mitra, Additional Chief Secretaries V.C. Pharka, and Manisha Nanda, Director, TCP, Capt. J.M Pathania, Commissioner MC Shimla, Pankaj Rai, Engineer-in- Chief IPH, Kanwar, Senior officers from the health and IPH department were also present in the meeting.
