Kandaghat colony residents rue water shortage

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan,June 20

With the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) unable to provide adequate water to the dwellers of Air Force Naval Housing Board colony at Kandaghat, the residents are being forced to spend lakhs on purchasing water on their own.

Wing Cdr (retd) Rakesh Sant, former president of the residents’ association, said the Air Force Naval Housing Board (AFNHB) was allotted land on November 19, 2005, for construction of 120 dwelling units. He said the deed of conveyance was executed in February 2006, and the colony was set up after seeking requisite permission from the Town and Country Planning Department.

The HIMUDA in 2005 recovered Rs 20.57 lakh from the AFNHB as its pro-rata cost of providing water to the colony through water uplift scheme but failed to do so. He alleged that HIMUDA failed to honour its commitment despite having taken the money for water uplift scheme. Residents have been facing water shortage for the past 7 years.

“Water is our fundamental right and once the government gives clearance to a residential complex it becomes obligatory on its part to provide basic essential services” rued Sant. He further alleges that the Town and Country Planning Department issued the completion certificate on March 22, 2011, without verifying the availability of adequate water supply in the colony. Initially, the colony comprising 120 flats was received only 4,000 litres of water. The residents spent Rs 2.5 lakh annually to purchase water.

Sant alleged that despite taking up the issue with the officials of the Irrigation and Public Health Department they had failed to get any relief.

Hemant Tanwar, executive engineer, IPH, confirmed that Rs 85 lakh had been deposited by the HIMUDA about six years ago for the water uplift scheme. They had begun work but since the land in question was not free from all encumbrances the work could not proceed further. He said the issue had been taken up with the HIMUDA officials on several occasions.