Damaged pipes cause water crisis in Nalagarh

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 20

Many villages in Nalagarh are facing water shortage due to damage to water pipelines by heavy rain. The work is underway to repair these.

Torrential rain last week worsened the situation and Rs 94 lakh was lost in one day. Among the worst affected is the Ashwani Khud water supply scheme. This had hit supply to Solan town for several days though the scheme has been made functional now.

Superintending Engineer, IPH, Sanjeev Kaul, said losses worth Rs 7.15 crore had been suffered by the department in the rainy season and Nalagarh division was the worst hit followed by Arki and Solan.

A majority of water supply schemes in Arki and Solan had been temporarily restored though repair of a few rural schemes in Nalagarh was going on.

The department has little sources to deal with high turbidity in the rains as most schemes are old and there is no land to set up large water tanks. This forces the staff to suspend water supply for days whenever it pours heavily. Several villages in Nalagarh and Solan had to go without water for 3 to 5 days last week.

Officials were now pinning their hopes on the multi-crore Central grant received by the state to remodel water supply schemes though it remains to be seen how many funds would the district get.

Heavy rain to blame

• Torrential rain last week hit water schemes in Solan district
• Among the worst affected scheme is the Ashwani Khud 
• This had hit supply to Solan town for several days
• A majority of water supply schemes in Arki and Solan had been temporarily restored
• Repair of a few rural schemes in Nalagarh is going on.