Water connections of 14 defaulter hotels snapped

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 1

In the wake of the High Court directions, the Shimla Municipal Corporation on Friday disconnected the water connections of 14 city hotels for their failure to clear the pending arrears. However, seven defaulters cleared their dues to avoid the HC wrath.

The operation to disconnect the connections of other defaulters was still on when the report was being filed.

According to information, eight water connections were disconnected in the Central zone and Lakkar Bazaar; two in Chhota Shimla and four in Chaura Maidan. The operation was on in Sanjauli and other areas of the city.

The Municipal Corporation has prepared a list of 39 defaulters, including the owner of a private apartment at Jhakhu. “We will finalise the report on Saturday as we are yet to get reports from other areas”, said sources in the MC.

According to information, there are more than 450 hotels and over 100 paying guest houses that consume nearly four MLD of water daily.

On the other hand, the population of the city, estimated to be over 2 lakh, was getting only 18 MLD of water as four MLD was wasted in leakage during distribution from pumping stations to storage tanks and in private distribution pipelines, said SMC engineers.

Out of a total of 480 commercial hospitality units in the city, 279 are hotels, 170 home stays and 11 ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ units started under ‘Incredible India’ initiative.

Several hotel owners had secured direct water connections from the main line, said sources.

Hotels in Kufri have got water connections from the Giri water scheme that passes from the area before it takes water to the Sanjauli reservoir. Though the Shimla hoteliers’ association claimed that it had roped in private tankers that cost them Rs 3,000 per 6,000 litre of water, it is being alleged that several “influential ones are getting good quantity of water in the city”. However, association president Harnam Kukreja refuted the charge.

CM reviews situation

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday held a meeting with senior government officials through videoconferencing from Chamba to review the supply of adequate potable water in Shimla city.

He was informed that the Shimla MC received 23.50 MLD water on Friday and the Municipal Corporation also received 1 MLD of water from Ghandal, which was distributed according to the timetable issued in Kusumpti, Pantha Ghatti, Chhota Shimla, Vikasnagar, Patiyog, Kangnadhar, New Shimla and Khalini areas.

As many as 1.70 lakh litre water was supplied to different parts of the city through tankers.

Water will be supplied to Bharari, Ruldu Bhatta, Kaithu, Anadale, Summer Hill, Totu, Manjhiyat, Kachhi Ghati, Boleauganj, Tutikandi, Kanlog, Nabha and Fagli areas on Saturday.