Solan city is experiencing a significant water shortage, causing concern among residents, the Jal Shakti Department (JSD), and the Municipal Corporation (MC). The persistent problem has led to a blame game between the JSD, responsible for water supply, and the MC, tasked with its distribution.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that Solan city requires approximately 85 lakh litres of water daily. The scarcity has intensified over the past 10 days following a mechanical snag at the Giri pumping station in Giri village on October 21, which disrupted water lifting operations. On October 22, only about 37 lakh litres were supplied due to the reduced availability. Although water lifting improved subsequently, with 68 lakh litres supplied on October 23, the supply dipped again to 59 lakh litres on October 24, 51 lakh litres on October 25, and a marginal rise to 57 lakh litres on October 26. This erratic supply forced the civic body to implement water distribution curbs.
The situation saw improvement after the Jal Shakti Department rectified the snag. By October 27, the department supplied 73 lakh litres, followed by 82 lakh litres on October 28. However, challenges persist, as water lifting from both the Giri and Ashwani potable water schemes was partially affected for three hours on Thursday due to an electricity outage, demonstrating the ongoing vulnerability of the supply chain.
Superintending Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department in Solan, Sanjeev Soni, attributed the distribution issues to the civic body. He stated that despite a temporary snag at the Giri water scheme on October 21, the department had been providing adequate water to the MC. “An average of 80 lakh litres of water supplied every day is adequate for a population of 59,000 at the rate of 135 litres per individual,” Soni explained. He questioned why the MC staff faced shortages when the JSD was supplying sufficient water on average. He pointed out that the MC distributes water only once every three days to city residents, suggesting potential inefficiencies in their distribution network.
Residents report that water supply has become so erratic that households frequently need to arrange for water tankers, sometimes weekly for smaller families and twice weekly for larger ones. Mukesh Gupta, a resident, lamented that even under normal circumstances, water is typically received only once in seven to eight days. Data suggests that water pilferage by real estate developers and commercial users may also be contributing to the problem, with allegations of unauthorized connections being inserted into supply pipes.
The ongoing water crisis in Solan highlights systemic issues in water management and distribution. While the Jal Shakti Department works to maintain the infrastructure and supply from its sources, the Municipal Corporation faces the challenge of ensuring equitable and timely distribution to all households. The situation is further compounded by external factors like power outages, which can immediately impact pumping operations. The reliance on water tankers, which has become a year-round business in Solan, underscores the inadequacy of the current municipal water supply system to meet the city’s growing demands and maintain consistent service delivery.
The municipal body’s failure to ensure regular and adequate water supply has become a significant concern for the city’s residents, impacting daily life and potentially discouraging new investments in the area. The intermittent supply and the constant need for alternative arrangements like water tankers place an additional financial and logistical burden on the populace, exacerbating the water crisis.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
