Mohali faces water scarcity pangs

Pavneet Singh Chadha

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 12

As summers near with mercury soaring close to 30 degrees in the afternoon, city residents have started feeling the pangs of water scarcity.

Residents said water supply remained affected over the past two days with certain areas getting minimal water and that too at low pressure.

Jasvir Singh, a resident of Phase 11, said: “The supply has been deficient since Saturday morning. It was restored only last night.”

Arun Sharma, councillor, said the water problem remained an annual concern. He said: “In upper floors of houses in Phase IV and V, pressure remains low. With summers approaching, the problem will continue.”

The main source of water supply in Mohali is the Kajauli waterworks, from where 10 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water is supplied to the town. Tubewells supply over 3 MGD of water. The total supply still remains deficient for the city’s demand by at least 4-5 MGD.

Another concern for residents of Sectors 66 to 69, 76 to 80, Aero City and Eco City, who receive water supply from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), is the high tariff. The tariff was hiked in September last year from Rs 1.8 per kilo litre to up to Rs 10 per kilo litre.

Parminder Singh, a local resident, said: “We get limited water supply here, especially in summers. Out of a total of 14 tubewells, some remain non-operational and are in a need of repair. Considering the scarcity, the selective hike in tariff is extortionate. We are paying more money for less water.”

However, officials claimed that the water deficiency was temporary and due to repair works on Kajauli waterworks.

Anil Kumar, Executive Engineer, Public Health and Water Supply, said: “Due to the shutdown requested by the Chandigarh MC in Phase III on account of repair work, the plant in Sector 57 received deficient supply. Since we lack proper storage facility, supply was affected in Sector 71, Phase IX, Phase X and Phase XI.”

Harpreet Singh, SDO, Municipal Corporation, said: “The supply was affected due to continuing repair works. Otherwise, there is no deficiency or scarcity of water in Mohali.”

A senior MC official claimed that the authorities currently were supplying more water than the average demand. The demand on average is 135 litres per capita per day, while the present supply is higher. So, there is no problem on that front. Repair works on Kajauli pipe line is a short-run problem.

Mohali is divided into two parts when it comes to water supply. The first part, known as ‘Old Mohali’, gets supply from Kajauli. New areas — from Sector 66 to 69, 76 to 80, Aero City and IT City — are being fed by GMADA.

In old town, water is supplied at a flat rate of Rs 1.8 per kl, whereas in the areas under GMADA, domestic tariff is Rs 10 per kl for consumption above 20 kl. For consumption below 20 kl, Rs 5 per kl is being charged in new sectors.

Fact file

The main source of water supply in Mohali is the Kajauli waterworks, from where 10 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water is supplied to the town. Tubewells supply over 3 MGD of water. The total supply still remains deficient for the city’s demand by at least 4-5 MGD.