Water crisis: Construction work banned in Shimla till June 30

Shimla: Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh today said all construction activities in Shimla city as well as areas under the jurisdiction of Shimla Municipal Corporation have been stopped due to the prevailing water crisis. The MC also issued an order banning construction activities till June 30. Addressing the media here, Singh said the city is facing water shortage as the sources from which water was being lifted are drying up due to lack of rain. “Shimla requires about 48 million litres per day (MLD) of water, but only about 35 to 38 MLD of water is being supplied to the city due to the decrease in water level in the sources,” he said. He said the monsoon is expected to arrive by next week, after which the water level in the sources will become normal again and the ongoing crisis will ease.

Singh said work on a World Bank-funded 50 to 60 MLD drinking water supply scheme is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year or by next year. He said this will provide additional water to the city. The minister said, “As soon as the water level in the water sources becomes normal, we will increase the supply in the city.” Clarifying that the SJPNL is not giving additional water to hotels and commercial establishments, he said these properties are being supplied water on the lines of residential areas. He requested the people of the state not to waste water and use it judiciously to overcome the current crisis. The minister said he has also requested Shimla Municipal Corporation Mayor Surinder Chauhan to deploy flying squads to check wastage of water. He said, “In the coming days, efforts will be made to provide drinking water supply in the city every alternate day.” Meanwhile, the Shimla Municipal Corporation has banned all types of construction activities involving the use of cement and concrete in the city till June 30 in view of the ongoing water crisis. According to an official order by Shimla Municipal Commissioner Bhupinder Atri, the state meteorological department has said the city has received the lowest rainfall this summer in the last several years. “This has led to a drought-like situation and the water sources supplying water to the city have dried up. It has also been warned that it will take a few more days for the monsoon to arrive in the state. Therefore, it has been decided to ban construction activities in the city till June 30,” he said.