Sector 32-A residents move court over low water pressure

Dushyant Singh Pundir
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 11

Unable to get their grievances resolved, residents of Sector 32-A have moved the court over low water pressure in their area.

Members of the Resident Welfare Forum, Sector 32-A, filed a petition in the court seeking directions to the Assistant Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Chief Engineer, Public Health, and Secretary, Home, Chandigarh, for restraining the authorities from reducing the water pressure and supply in their area and to frame guidelines so as to provide necessary permission to install submersible pumps on their respective premises at the expense of the administration as the authorities were unable to provide proper water supply and pressure.

Residents submitted that they were paying water charges as per their consumption along with maintenance charges, sewerage charges, meter rental/ service charges to the Municipal Corporation on bills generated by the civic body.

The complainants, residents of houses 251 to 288, Sector 32-A, stated that from the past three to four years, they had been facing water shortage and had regularly lodged a number of complaints, but always assured that the authorities concerned were going to install new pipelines from the Kajauli waterworks so as to ensure smooth and proper water supply pressure in their area.

In March this year, the authorities assured the complainants that now there was enough water for Chandigarh and in the summer, there would be no water shortage or  low pressure in the area.

To utter surprise of the residents, the authorities reduced the water pressure in their area so as to keep happy the vote bank for the politicians as well as VIPs. 

Complainants said their minor children as well as old parents were compelled to fill their overhead water tanks with buckets as kitchens as well as toilets had the only source of water from overhead tanks. They added that the authorities despite receiving a huge amount under various heads from consumers for smooth supply of water at full pressure so as to fill overhead water tanks, had failed to fulfil their duties. 

On April 30, the members complained about the low water pressure in their area. At that time the authorities increased the water pressure in the area, but after some time, it was reduced again. 

On May 7, residents called the official concerned several times to file their complaints, but he disconnected the telephone of a member of the forum.