Only false promises, no augmented water supply

Against Chandigarh’s daily need of 110 million gallon (MG) water, the present supply is 87 MG per day. To augment adequate portable water supply the Municipal Corporation spent Rs 300 crore. The project was dedicated to the public by the UT Administrator in the presence of many VVIPs and government officials with an assurance of extended water supply hours and adequate pressure to reach top most floors. It’s deplorable that due to some snag hopes of the public were dismayed and the event proved simply a photo opp. The authorities should have ensured 100 per cent technical and operational efficacy of the system before inauguration. The snag should be rectified immediately to resume full throttle water supply. Besides, the issue also needs to be investigated and accountability fixed so that in future no such failure embarrasses dignitaries, who give assurances to public, which get belied with a wink of eye.

SS Arora, Mohali

Facility extended to few sectors

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has promised to augment supply of potable water in the city. As a first step in this direction, the MC increased the water supply by two hours. Although this facility has reached a few sectors with a hope that it will be extended to every sector gradually. There are certain infancy problems, which will be overcome by the authorities concerned. Time is not far when the 24-hour water supply will make Chandigarh proud of this big achievement.

Harish Kapur, Chandigarh

Plug all leakages in supply line

The Phase 5 and 6 water project for enhancing water supply to the city inaugurated recently cost the Municipal Corporation Rs 300 crore. It is satisfying news for all concerned. This rekindled some hope that poor water supply during peak hours would definitely improve in the city. But, after commissioning of the project, the feedback received from the general public is not encouraging as the water supply remains meagre as earlier. The MC should thoroughly rectify snags in the water supply system to deliver quality service so that it meet expectations of the people. More such projects should be in the pipeline to augment potable water supply as the pressure of population is increasing in the city.

Bhupinder S Sealopal, Mohali   

Check supply points of colonies

Although Phase 5 and 6 water project has been commissioned, the supply has not increased. To improve supply the Municipal Corporation (MC) must plug points from where water leaks and reduces supply. Defective and old pipelines, which develop leakage with the passage of time, should be phased out systematically. Supply points of different colonies should be checked in particular as lots of water is wasted there. Residents should also cooperate by avoiding wastage and save water by following the MC instructions.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh  

Maintain adequate water pressure

Much awaited Phase 5 and 6 water project has been completed. The Municipal Corporation (MC) spent Rs 300 crore on the project with a promise that the water supply hours will be extended. Adequate pressure should be maintained so that that water reaches top floors of houses. Check wastage of water. Residents still complain of water woes. Leakage in Phase 5 and 6 water pipelines is also major problem. A tussle between GMDA and Railways over repairing pipeline has robbed residents of extra water. All claims of the authorities concerned to extend water supply duration have fallen flat.  

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

New supply timings yet to be implemented

After the inauguration of water project by the UT Administrator new supply timings were not implemented. The Municipal Corporation (MC) has spent huge amount of public money on this project, but city residents still face water shortage. If there is any technical problem it should be fixed as soon as possible. The MC’s promise to provide water supply to city residents for additional hours has fallen flat. It seems the higher authorities are not answerable for this problem.

Nakhpreet Kaur, Chandigarh

MC fails to live up to people’s expectations

Having personally not experienced any drinking water problem in Chandigarh, I cannot comment appropriately on it.  However, I have faced difficulties due to extreme road-water problem during rainy days, as Chandigarh’s drainage system has been lying choked for decades.  I do hear about poor supply of potable water from city residents despite the Municipal Corporation spending Rs 300 crore on the Phase 5 and 6 project. The civic body has failed to live up to people’s expectations.

MPS Chadha, Chandigarh

Still a distant dream for residents

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) is mulling over hiking water charges for the additional supply to residents, which has remained elusive so far. The MC spent a whopping Rs 300 crore on augmenting the Phase 5 and 6 water project, which was inaugurated by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore. The MC’s decision to hike water charges is lopsided. It seems to have been taken in a tearing hurry. Water woes continue to haunt city residents’ as the supply of promised additional water remains a distant dream.

 Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh       

Be sure before making announcements 

Officials of the Municipal Corporation (MC) should have made themselves cent-percent sure about the availability of additional water to Chandigarh before placing a sound dream of increasing supply hours before residents. Now the authorities should re-announce the next date from which water would be available for extra hours to residents. Pressure should be increased so that water reaches top floors during the peak supply hours.

Balbir Singh Batra, Chandigarh

Sort out, GMADA, Railways issue 

No administrator or an elected representative has given any thought on this subject. If they had, today there would have been a board, handling civic affairs in Chandigarh and its two adjoining districts of Punjab and Haryana. It would have made life of residents comfortable.The issue between GMADA and Railways has to be sorted out. Microfilters must be installed to control water turbidity. Tubewell machinery must  upgraded even if it involves a nominal hike in water tariff, to fund the project. Watering of lawns should be restricted. Running taps in colonies and slums should be repaired. Water storage capacity should be enhanced. Vigilant citizens, ‘jal bandhu’, should report broken water pipes and leakages and encourage use of sprinklers in parks. Heavy penal fines to be imposed on offenders. Rainwater harvesting should be mandatory. The government should undertake cloud seeding and ensure proper water supply through its existing channels. 

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Chandigarh

Officials must give reason for delay

I am of the view the Municipal Corporation (MC) is duty bound to complete the augmentation of the water supply before announcing the date of increasing supply hours to city residents. The MC has already spent 300 crore  to increase the water supply.  Officials of the civic body must explain the reason for not supplying water as promised by them.

Tarlok Singh, Mani Majra

Awareness can stem the rot

 “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry,” goes the sage advice in conservation of our resources. The bane of urban estates is absence of wells and hand pumps altogether and dependence solely on civic water supply, which is bound to remain restricted with burgeoning urban influx and population growth despite inauguration of new water projects from time to time. We count what we value. Need of the hour is to 'count' every drop of potable water vis-a-vis costs involved in its sourcing, processing, storage, supply and the ultimate safe disposal. Sustained awareness and education can help stem the rot with reduce-reuse-recycle as the universal key. Water conserved, is its supply augmented.

 Lalit Bharadwaj, Chandigarh

GMADA, Railways spar was avoidable

It is good to know that the Railway authorities have finally owned up the responsibility to repair leaking joints in the newly laid pipeline at Marauli railway underpas in Moirinda and started the work. Residents of of the tricity can now hope to get additional water supply a bit later than expected. Jurisdictional spar, between the Railways and GMADA authorities, over the location of portion of  leaking pipes, which will eventually result in benefits of the project, launched by the Punjab Governor, could have been avoided if the Railway authorities could appreciate that the issue of pipeline ownership overrides its  jurisdiction. Anyway, better late than never.  

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Restrict supply to a few hours

As far as the supply of water is concerned, I am of the firm belief that it should be restricted to a few hours. Though the need of drinking water for the whole day is justified, the more we get, the more we waste. We use this water not just for drinking, but many other purposes too. In majority cases it results in the wastage of water. Drinking water should be stored during the hours of its supply only. There can be other solution if the Municipal Corporation wants to save water. But, God knows whether this will be feasible in India or not. This method is followed in Australia. They have two supply lines, one for drinking water and another for the household chores. If we in India adopt this, drinking water can be supplied for 24 hours whereas other one can be supplied for limited hours. I am sure this method will save a lot of water. Moreover, for the other type of water, the MC can supply even treated water.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi

Money invested, output matter equally 

The civic body needs to improve water supply as residents are still facing low pressure on top floors. The Municipal Corporation (MC) is still far from keeping its 24 hours water supply promise. Basic need of water must be fulfilled in all sectors and to all floors with good pressure. Mere spending money on a project is not sufficient. Output equally matters. Time duration of water supply must be increased. During May and June, Chandigarh faces shortage of water. Though ban is imposed on car washing and watering of lawns, still there is scarcity of water in City Beautiful. Officials need to do homework before implementing decisions.

Abhilasha Gupta, Chandigarh

Supply potable water to all areas

As the population of City Beautiful is rising at an alarming rate, enhancement of watery supply capacity is much required. It is a long-term investment.  Water supply has improved in many sectors during the last one week.  The Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities should ensure that the augmented capacity is fully utilised to provide sufficient drinking water in all areas.  The preventive maintenance of infrastructure and controlling wastage throughout the year will help in reducing water shortage.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

It’s our habit to complain

Supply of water has increased in the city after inauguration of the Phase 5 and 6 of the water project. Chandigarh is the only city in India where one can see water coming from taps even on the fourth floor in the evening as well as morning. Water supply in other towns is not as good as in City Beautiful. People still complain because it is our habit. Now, the government should work on betterment of water supply in other towns and villages. 

Surinder Mohan, Chandigarh

Civic body should work sincerely

Water supply to Chandigarh will not increase until Kajauli Water Works is upgraded. Residents will continue to face water woes. False promises will be made in future too. But yes, tariff is hiked time to time before supplying potable water. No project should be inaugurated unless and until the Municipal Corporation (MC) is 101 per cent sure that it will work to full capacity. Otherwise, officials concerned are making fool of themselves. Instead of making false promises, the MC should work sincerely before beating the drum.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

No water after 9 pm

All lies. There is no water supply after 9.30 am to 6 pm. Then after 9 pm, taps go dry again. Only tank water remains for washing dishes and for washrooms. This is the routine since many years. All inaugurations of water projects are photo-ops. It is all eyewash and nothing in practice.  It is an open secret that elected representatives of the people of pocket money of all projects and go on jaunts for their own vested interests.  “To hell with the public” is the motto of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Chandigarh. Shame on them. This MC should be dissolved immediately and all works be taken over by the UT Administration.  

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Babus can’t mitigate people’s sufferings

Everything is possible in this world except that fresh water cannot be supplied by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC). Bureaucrats and politicians are not sincere in solving water supply problem. They always make policy and plan a project while people face so many difficulties. The MC has done nothing to save water for the future. Despite spending huge amount on water project, there is no end to residents water woes. What is the point in giving fat pay packages to employees, who cannot make a policy to mitigate sufferings of the public. They should do their work sincerely and honestly and motivate residents to save potable water.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Dire need to save water

The Municipal Corporation (MC), Chandigarh, has spent a lot on augmenting drinking water supply, which is appreciable. Still there are complaints about insufficient water supply to City Beautiful, which is somehow not in the hand of the MC. It takes time to resolve water supply problems. I hope the MC will be able to fulfil its promise of supplying water for extra hours with residents of the City Beautiful. There is a dire need to save water as it is becoming a rare commodity. Sustenance of future generations depends upon the present generation. Leakages in the distribution system, overflow from overhead tanks and free flow of water from pipes without taps at public places need immediate attention. Wastage of water on washing vehicles and watering gardens must be stopped immediately. Recycled water can be used for various purposes.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd.)

no water supply at specified timings

Residents of Chandigarh and its villages are still facing shortage of water even after commissioning of the Stage 5 and 6 of Rs 300 crore water project, recently inaugurated by Punjab Governor. It’s  shocking that despite formally upgrading the supply system, residents continue to face problems as water supply is not regular at even specified timings in few sectors, what to talk of 24x7 supply as claimed by the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities. The MC must investigate to find out why augmented water supply infrastructure is not giving desired results. Either, the plant isn’t functioning upto its capacity and if not so, then, its design is not adequate to meet the present water requirements of the city. Action must be initiated against officials concerned if found lacking. After all, it’s the public money, which has been spent on revamping the water supply system for capacity enhancement and it shouldn’t go waste. 

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali 

MC least concerned about  responsibility

I reside on the fi