Citizens left high and dry as water cut continues in Shimla
water crisis
Planned by the British for a maximum of 16,000 populace, the 'Queen of Hills' now houses nearly 200,000, requiring 42 million litres per day (MLD) of water.
A majority of localities in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla are facing a water supply crisis, getting potable water only once a week.
Several localities of the town remained bereft of the water supply for the eight consecutive days. The residents, including children, spent the day standing in the queue for the water tankers to fill their buckets and empty containers for meeting their basic minimum household needs.
Reeling under severe water crisis, Shimla witnessed midnight protests of angry men and women marching towards Chief Minister’s residence even as the day was also marked by mass dharnas, street sloganeering and lawyers’ resorting to boycott of the courts' proceedings.
Planned by the British for a maximum of 16,000 populace, the 'Queen of Hills' now houses nearly 200,000, requiring 42 million litres per day (MLD) of water.
Officials say the city is getting 23 MLD on an average every day.
The water scarcity has not only caused serious problems in the government and private hospitals. The hostels of local educational institutions and schools are still without water, though they were supplied water through tankers.