Mohali grapples with erratic water supply

On the hottest day of this summer, water supply in several areas here was affected for second consecutive day today. Residents complained of no water supply in the upper floors and low-pressure supply on the ground-floor houses.

Phase 1 to Phase 7, Madanpura and Phase 1 to Phase 5 of Industrial Area were the worst affected areas. The residents of these areas complained that it was the second consecutive day today they received no water supply from 9 am to 5 pm. There was no afternoon supply and in the evening, the water pressure remained very low.

The Water Supply and Sanitation Board officials said the disruption was due to leakage in supply lines at Sector 39. On June 11, the supply would be according to the availability, they said.

Ward No. 2 councillor Manjit Singh Sethi said, “The situation is such that if you don't use motor, then you cannot expect a drop of water on the first floor.”

Bahadur Singh, who runs a tanker service in Phase 5, said, “Besides Mohali, we are getting calls from far-off places like Kharar and Jhampur.”

On June 2, the police had to be called in to maintain law and order as quarrels erupted over water at two places. At Sunny Enclave, Kharar, two groups of different societies clashed after one of them allegedly tried to take an illegal water connection, leaving the other high and dry. In another incident, four unidentified youths thrashed a driver at a taxi stand when he objected to the misuse of drinking water from a tank.