Taps run dry on upper floors in Chandigarh

With heatwave conditions continuing in the city, different parts of the city have started facing an acute shortage of water. The southern parts of the city, Manimajra, villages and colonies have been severely affected.

Residents living on upper floors are complaining of low-pressure supply. Sumit Kumar, who lives on the top floor of a house in Sector 34, said he was not getting the proper water supply for the past one week. The pressure remains very low on the upper floors and the supply stops one hour before the scheduled time. There is no supply to the upper floors till the time persons living on the ground floor are using water for their daily chores.

Suraj Singh, who lives in a society in Sector 51, said he was getting water supply only for two hours in the morning and evening. Shashi Pandey of a colony in Sector 32 also complained of low-pressure supply.

Sources in the MC said the city witnessed a shortfall of 15-20 MGD of water against the demand of 110 MGD during summer. At presently, the UT is receiving 87 MGD of water.

Officials said the water demand increases by 15-20 per cent every summer season. They said tertiary treated water is not being used by all eligible users. Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman of Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC), said the MC has failed to ensure proper water supply to the residents. It is only concerned about increasing the charges rather than providing proper service.