The Hindu : Shimla faces water crisis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

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Other States - Himachal Pradesh

Shimla faces water crisis

SHIMLA JUNE 8 . Shimla, the former winter Capital of British Raj, is facing an acute water shortage with fast depleting ground water level.

With lesser rains in this hill state and increasing tourist traffic, the authorities here are finding it hard to meet the requirements.

The age-old Shimla Water Supply Scheme dating back to 1875, when the British first brought water from the Sutlej river in Gumma in Mandi district is not sufficient for the hill Capital during the peak tourist season, forcing the state Irrigation and Public Health Department to look for fresh water supply sources.

Today 3.9 millions gallons of water was being supplied from Gumma alone which was not enough during the peak tourist season of May and June.

Despite the numerous constraints the irrigation and public health department is striving hard to ensure reasonable and rational water supply of drinking water to the 1,60,000 local residents of the town besides the tourists.

At present, the requirement of water to Shimla town is about 7.5 million gallons per day. However, in view of drying up of some of the sources, the Irrigation and Public Health Department is in a position to supply only 5.5 million gallons per day.

The Tenth Finance Commission had given Rs 12 crores for the augmentation of drinking water supply to the state government for Shimla town.

Another scheme to lift water from Giri River to Shimla town is also in the pipeline with a cost around Rs 80 crores.

The State government is also exploring the possibility to lift water from Naugty Khad near here.

About a year ago, the irrigation department had also embarked upon an ambitious project of digging tubewells to augment the water supply to the capital town. The Central Ground Water Board, presently functioning at Dharamsala, had rendered a valuable service to the state government by finding out through its technical research work that the tubewells can also be dug at higher altitudes like Ashwani Khad and Gumma area in Shimla district.

As many as three tubewells had been installed in Ashwani Khad and one tubewell at Gumma to augment the water supply to Shimla town and its suburbs.

Besides, the water supply is also being ensured by tankers to such areas where water is not reaching due to low pressure. -- UNI

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