Water Crisis In Shimla

With perpetual water shortage plaguing the state capital, the residents will have to put up with it till Diwali as water rationing is likely to continue for some more time.

Although one of the two motors, which had got burnt at the Ashwani Khud pumping station yesterday, has been replaced, the low water levels in the reservoirs is leading to water scarcity even in the winter months. The water supply to the worst affected area of Chhotta Shimla improved today but it was still far from normal. Water supply to many other parts of the town also remained affected.

The water supply position to the city worsened further with the bursting of the main pipeline from Gumma, near Craignano, this afternoon.

The residents will have to go without water for the next two days as the Gumma pumping station provided 30 lakh gallons of water daily, which was around 50 per cent of the total supply. The supply has been severally affected for the past few days due to breakdown of the pipeline from Churat nullah, near Sanjauli bypass. The pipeline is still under repair. Earlier, the pumping machinery at Aswhini Khad had developed snag.

The pipeline had burst at the same point two years ago also and it had taken several days to restore the supply. The daily requirement of the city is 80 lakh gallon and availability had already gone down to 60 lakh gallon due to breakdown of the Churat pipeline. With discontinuation of supply from Gumma, only 30 lakh gallons will be available now.