Explore alternative water supply scheme, Solan residents urge govt
Water shortage has become a perennial problem in Solan
Residents of Solan have urged the Jal Shakti Department to explore nearby areas for a new water supply scheme and enhance the city’s water storage capacity. Kul Rakesh Pant, former president of the Solan Municipal Council, and Manoj Gupta, former general secretary of the Beopar Mandal, in a representation submitted to local MLA and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, have urged him to ensure the early completion of the Giri water supply scheme meant for the Kasauli area, as it will reduce burden on the water supply schemes serving Solan city.
The residents also urged the department to explore an alternative water supply scheme at Khari village in Sirmaur, where water could be lifted from the Renukaji Dam or areas in its vicinity. They also urged the minister for a two-stage water lifting arrangement to facilitate its distribution. They suggeted to him to enhance the city’s storage capacity by assessing the gap between the existing capacity and the actual demand, which would help streamline water supply to the residents.
“As an estimated 30 per cent water is lost due to leakages, worn-out pipes and unauthorised connections, there is need to effectively curb these losses,” said Pant.
He also recommended dividing the city into zones and giving priority to areas where water supply was severely affected. This would streamline water distribution and ensure that no area goes without water for days, he added. The residents also suggested that digging deep wells after conducting technical surveys should also be explored as an alternative to address water scarcity in the city.
To strengthen the city’s water supply infrastructure, they proposed the construction of a barrage at Karganu village. This could be utilised when the water level in the Giri river declines significantly. Arrangements could also be made to lift this water to the Gaura-based treatment plant for further distribution in the city.
Water shortage has become a perennial problem in Solan. The Jal Shakti Department and the Municipal Corporation, which are jointly responsible for water supply and distribution, have not effectively addressed problems such as leakage, unauthorised water supply and the limited pumping capacity of the existing infrastructure despite the city’’s growing population.
