Build water storage capacity in Shimla: High Court

Shimla, June 22

The High Court has issued directions to the state to identify areas around Shimla where the adequate water storage capacity – manmade or natural – can be built so that the authorities and citizens can fall back on such sources during water shortage.

Hearing a public interest litigation petition on water scarcity and its equitable distribution, a Division Bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Chander Bhusan Barowalia asked the authorities concerned to file an affidavit before the next date of hearing, which is August 31.

With Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited submitting a detailed plan on how it would ensure equitable distribution of water, the court directed the nigam AGM to furnish proposal with regard to the utilisation of rain water, natural sources and rejuvenating old water bodies before the next date of hearing. The court also directed the AGM to seek opinion from experts, including the government of India.

Further, the court also made the Department of Tourism a party in the matter. The department has been directed to furnish the details of the hotels registered with it, which falls within municipal limits and periphery of Shimla.

The High Court intervened when the water situation threatened to go out of control a week back. A dry spell and some power disruption hit the power supply hard and the SJPNL struggled to provide water to many pockets of the city even on the third day. With good rain over the last few days, the situation has improved a lot. “We have informed the court that we are providing water to every part of the city as per schedule on alternate days,” said SJPNL AGM Anil Jaswal.

Lalit appointed SJPNL MD

• HAS officer Pankaj Lalit has been appointed as Managing Director of the SJPNL. He will replace Dharmendra Gill, who has been promoted as Engineer-in-Chief in the Jal Shakti Vibhag.
• The government had also issued the transfer orders of SJPNL GM RK Verma and AGM Anil Jaswal a few days back but the persons transferred from Jal Shakti Vibhag haven’t joined yet
• Meanwhile, the High Court directed the AGM to seek opinion from experts, including the government of India and made the Department of Tourism a party in the matter