MC: Shimla situation better; protests continue as residents debunk claim
Residents of Jhinnu colony claim supply came for five minutes after a week
SHIMLA: Protests in Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla continued for the 12th day on Saturday, over acute water shortage.
Police have booked over 24 persons for protesting against water scarcity outside chief minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur’s residence. Besides, a large number of residents blocked traffic in different localities of the town.
Hundreds of residents from Jhinu colony blocked the Dhallitutikandi bypass for over three hours, thus hassling commuters. The traffic blockade was lifted only after a team of municipal corporation (MC) officials reached the spot and assured them of water supply.
“There has been no water in the area since 15 days and the MC is fooling us by providing the supply for five minutes after a week,” Bhupinder Sharma, a resident of the colony said.
According to information, water supply in Jhinu colony was to be restored on Friday.
Moreover, residents of Kasumpti also staged a demonstration against no water supply at the area bazaar on Friday night.
Kasumpti too, was supposed to get water supply on Friday as per MC schedule. Agitated residents blocked the traffic. Even deputy mayor Rakesh Sharma failed to pacify the protesters and they again took to roads on Saturday morning and blocked the traffic.
The residents of Chotta Shimla’s Brockhurst and Vikas Nagar area also protested outside the water control room at Chotta Shimla. Over two dozen women of Vikas Nagar, carried sticks to the control room on Friday night and staged a protest against water shortage.
The woman alleged that the MC discriminated against their area and did not supply water while another colony in Vikas Nagar received the supply.
Meanwhile, over 100 youths of
the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress led by state youth president Manish Thakur staged a protest outside CM Thakur’s residence on Friday night. Police have deployed quick response teams and anti-riot vehicles outside the CM’S house.
All activists were booked for unlawful assembly.
On the other hand, the municipal
corporation claimed on Saturday that the water situation in Shimla improved marginally after rains in catchment area on Friday.
On Saturday, Shimla received 28 million litres of water against required 45 MLD, the municipal corporation officials said. The Himachal high court had put the water keyman (the person ordered suspension of sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the municipal corporation, Shimla, for negligence in water distribution in the town.
He said the government would not tolerate any laxity in duty and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
The minister also directed to follow the time schedule fixed for water supply in different areas of the town.