Himachal HC takes suo motu cognisance of water crisis
Asks MC’S top functionaries to file status report
SHIMLA : The Himachal Pradesh high court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the acute shortage of potable water in the state capital, directing the civic body to file the status report.
A division bench, headed by acting chief justice Sanjay Karol, asked the municipal commissioner and the engineer to appear personally on Tuesday.
“The problem of water scarcity within Shimla, as highlighted, takes us to yet another issue and that being as to whether any new construction should be allowed to come up within the municipal limits of Shimla town at all or not,” observed the bench, also comprising justice Ajay Mohan Goel.
“Whether the present holding capacity is sufficient enough to cater to the ever growing urban population or not is an issue which certainly needs to be addressed,” it added.
Protesting the prevailing water scarcity on for almost a week, advocates of the high court and district court abstained from the court work.
A majority of localities in Shimla are facing a severe water supply crisis, getting potable water only once a week.
The reason is that all water channels in Shimla and its suburbs, which are normally quenching the thirst of the people, have dried up this summer owing to less snowfall in the past winter and less rains thereafter.