Residents blocked roads, CPM enter MC office, no Summer Festival this year
Bharari, Ruldu Bhatta, Kaithu, Anandale, Summer Hill, Totu, Kachhi Ghati, Tutikandi, Kanlog, Nabha Fagli to receive water today, tanker supply in Sanjauli and Sangti
To ensure equal distribution of water in Shimla city, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh directed the Municipal Commissioner to stop supplying water through tankers to individuals, more so in VIP areas housing judges, ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats, police officers, or commercial establishments. The Court also suspend all construction activity within the Shimla planning area for a week.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel directed the Chief Secretary to approach the Army authorities for diversion of water from the Annadale golf course as also the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, which has huge water storage tanks.
The court directed that all car washing operations within the municipal limits will remain suspended for a week or till the situation improves.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur convened a meeting with top officers to review the supply of potable drinking water to Shimla.
The MC received 21.94 MLD water yesterday which was distributed according to the schedule in Kasumpati, Panthaghati, Chhota Shimla, Vikasnagar, Patyog, Kangna Dhar, New Shimla, Khalini and other peripheral areas of these regions.
2 MLD water was taken from Ghandal drinking water supply scheme for providing water to Totu and surrounding wards. To ensure adequate water for the city water from Ghandal project is now being operated for 22 hours against 17 hours. Authority has pressed 31 big tankers into service out of which 23 tankers ensured water supply to 53 areas by providing 2.70 lakh litre water.
It was informed that 3 MLD additional water has been received by closing Gumma and Giri river irrigation projects and 25 MLD water is expected for Wednesday which would be supplied to the residents.
Today water would be supplied to Bharari, Ruldu Bhatta, Kaithu, Anandale, Summer Hill, Totu, Manjhiyat, Kachhi Ghati, Tutikandi, Kanlog, Nabha and Fagli, while water tanker would supply water in Sanjauli, Sangti and Engine Ghar.
IPH Minister Mahender Singh Thakur visited many places and inspected the water distribution in the city.
Widespread Protest in Shimla
After failing to receive water despite MC assurance, residents of New Shimla, Pateog and Kangnadhar sat on a dharna at Sector 1 near PNB afternoon. The traffic came to a standstill for an hour on the BCS Chowk-DAV School road, New Shimla, and the Vikasnagar-BCS-Khalini road from 3.30 pm to 5 pm.
Left staged protest at MC office
Demanding resignation of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for failing to ensure water supply in the city, the CPM staged protest at the MC office. The CPM leader alleged the tankers were lifting water from the Ridge reservoir during night hours and supplying water to influential hoteliers while other areas were being ignored.
Shimla Summer Festival postponed
Due to ongoing water scarcity in Shimla city district administration has postpone International Shimla Summer Festival. The five-day festival was scheduled to be held from June 1 to 5 but the Shimla district administration which organises the festival in coordination with department of Tourism, Art and Culture and Public Relations.
