Akal Ashram Colony residents rue shortage of drinking water

Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Mohali, May 1

Residents of Akal Ashram Colony in Sector 77, near the district administration complex here, are facing a shortage of safe drinking water for the past 10 days.

Due to the curfew restriction, they have been unable to meet any official concerned about the problem.

Colony residents, including Jaspal Singh Negi, Ravinder Singh Sohal, Surjit Kaur Kalra and others, said they had been fetching water from taps in Sri Harkrishan Sahib Charitable Eye Hospital, Sohana, and the Samadhi of Bhagat Asa Ram. However, GMADA and water supply officials are playing blame games.

Residents said due to lack of coordination between the Water Supply Department and GMADA officials, they had been facing the problem since the time the colony was established. They said the problem worsened during the summer months. They said a few houses were using submersible pumps and many houses had taps, but their water was unsafe for drinking and could only be used only for washing bathrooms or utensils.

Residents said earlier, they were supplied water by the Water Supply Department and in January this year, the responsibility was handed over to GMADA. However, officials concerned say the charge of supplying water was not handed over to GMADA.

Residents said streetlights in their area were also non-functioning and the condition of roads was also bad.

They say they had informed the Cabinet Minister, Deputy Commissioner and others about the problem in writing and in person, but to no avail.

GMADA XEN Pankaj Mehmi clarified that the Water Supply Department did not hand over the charge to GMADA. Area JE Ravinder Singh has written to GMADA in this regard and also submitted a field survey report, but the issue was yet to be settled. He said GMADA was supplying water, but the pipeline in the colony was old and could not bear the pressure, thus, causing leakage at various places.

Meanwhile, Water Supply Department XEN Sahil Sharma said supplying water was the responsibility of GMADA.

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