Logo

Logo

As water crisis deepens in Shimla, residents take to streets

Most part of the hills station has not received water supply for over a week

As water crisis deepens in Shimla, residents take to streets

Women gather at a handpump on the outskirts of Shimla city which is facing severe water crisis. (Photo: SNS)

With no respite from the deepening water crisis, the situation took an ugly turn as the public of the Shimla city took to the streets in protest.

On Sunday midnight, angry residents of Ram Bazaar and Lower Bazaar, along with the councillor of the Ram Bazaar Sushma Kutila, marched towards the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur’s official residence Oak Over.

However, the police stopped the crowd a few metres away from the official residence of the CM and foiled their bid.

Advertisement

“In accordance with their schedule, the civic body officials informed that the water would be provided to the residents of Ward 14, by 6.30 pm on Sunday, after a gap of almost seven days. However, when the water was not supplied till 8 pm, the Commissioner Shimla civic body assured that the water supply would be supplied the next day. Public got angry and held ‘dharna’ at the water supply control room on The Ridge, demanding immediate water supply,” said Sushma.

Women rued that the water was not being supplied in their area for seven days and it had made difficult for them to handle the crisis.

“Since no permission had been taken by the public to hold protest, the crowd was stopped from forcefully heading towards the CM residence. In the process, scuffle ensued between the crowd and the police personnel. An FIR has been registered against them,” said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Praveer Thakur.

The police are also inquiring into the complaint of manhandling of women and children, he added.

The public in various wards of the Shimla, too, took to the streets and held protests in their respective wards on Sunday.

“The patience of the public gave way as the water crisis deepened, as taps had been running dry for more than six days, said Sushant Keprate,” ex-councillor Engine Ghar, Sanjauli.

The protest was bound to happen as the anguish and anger of the public translated into resentment in the face of failure of the civic authorities to properly distribute water, he added.

Public also resorted to ‘chakka jam’ on the Khalni-Tutikandi bypass road, disrupting traffic.

The civic body is ensuring water supply to the hotels, a resident said, adding that officials of the civic body were also not even responding to their calls.

Advertisement