Water dispute between Punjab and Haryana disrupted Chandigarh's supply for over 2 months

Chandigarh faced a significant water shortage for over two months due to an inter-state dispute between Punjab and Haryana regarding the Bhakra canal water supply. This came to light during a general house meeting held on Tuesday, where officers from the engineering department of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation addressed concerns raised by councilors over the acute water scarcity in various areas of the city.

Officials reported that although the water supply has now normalised, the city had experienced a 20 per cent reduction in water availability during the dispute. Currently, Chandigarh receives approximately 60 MGD through the Kajauli water canal, supplemented by an additional 25 MGD from tube wells situated throughout the city.

The officials explained that the city's water pipelines are fixed at a certain elevation and so any drop in water levels below this threshold directly affects supply. They noted that the water level in the Bhakra canal had decreased by nearly two feet.

Moreover, they expressed frustration over a lack of official communication from Punjab officials regarding the reasons for the reduced water level. For over a month, they received no updates about the situation. When inquiries were made, they were only informed that repair works were ongoing. It wasn't until media coverage highlighted the escalating dispute that they learned of its true impact.

Former Mayor Subhash Chawla and BJP leader criticised the AAP government in Punjab for exacerbating the water crisis in Chandigarh, asserting that residents should not bear the consequences of political tensions between the two states. In contrast, Vijay Pal Singh, President of Chandigarh AAP, accused the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of attempting to deflect blame for their own failures.