Summer brings back fear of water scarcity in Chandigarh
As temperatures soar with the onset of summer, the residents have started grappling with water shortage in different parts of the city.
Among the worst-hit are those living on the upper floors of group housing societies in the southern sectors and rehabilitation colonies. Residents complained of irregular water supply over the past two weeks.
Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman, Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC), said while the Municipal Corporation (MC) was claiming to have improved water supply, nothing has changed on the ground.
He opposed heavy fines being imposed on the residents in the name of wasting water, and blamed the MC’s incompetence for the shortage of water.
Kamal Gupta, a resident of the Blood Donors Group Housing Society in Sector 50, said it was just the beginning of the summer, and the residents were already facing water shortage in the area. Gupta also opposed the heavy challan amount of Rs 5,788.
Residents of villages and colonies also complained of poor supply.
Darshna Devi, Congress councillor from Ward Number 5, Mani Majra, said the residents of her area were facing erratic water supply and the claims of 24×7 water supply remained on paper. The residents were also receiving muddy water.
Gurpreet Singh Gabi, another Congress councillor, said he would raise the water supply issue in the next MC House meeting.
Plugging the leaks
According to MC sources, the water supply demand during the summer reaches 100 MGD but the city receives only 87 MGD of water, resulting in a 13 MGD shortfall.
Officers of the civic body claim that they have been working on a plan to reduce leakage. They said around 38 MGD water was being supplied without bills and efforts were underway to stop that by replacing faulty meters.
The civic body is also working on increasing the consumers of the tertiary treated water. A public notice has also been issued to the residents and the institutions to get the tertiary treated water connections over the next fortnight. In case they fail to comply with the notice, they will have to pay penal rates to the tune of 7.5 per cent.
Use water judiciously: Mayor
“We have directed the officers to ensure that people don’t face any water shortage. We are working on increasing the tertiary-treated water connections, so that drinking water can be preserved. I also appeal to the residents to use water judiciously and help the civic body in its drive against wastage.” – Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor
4 challaned, 31 issued notices
The Municipal Corporation on Wednesday issued 31 notices and challaned four persons for wasting potable water. Different teams of the civic body carried out the drive for checking misuse of potable water from 5.30 am to 8.30 am. A fine of Rs. 5,788 was imposed on those challaned. Under the drive, challans are being issued for watering of lawns, courtyards, washing of cars and other vehicles using a hosepipe.
Chandigarh