Sirmaur villagers facing water crisis for 6 months, threaten stir

Irked over persistent shortage of drinking water for the past six months, residents of Shilla village in Sirmaur district staged a protest at the Jal Shakti Department office in Kaffota.

Villagers who are struggling daily to secure drinking water have issued a two-day ultimatum to the department for resolving the issue, warning to intensify the protest if their demands are not met.

The villagers said the water supply system to their area had been malfunctioning for months, with the lift scheme operating inconsistently. According to them, the system works for one day and remains non-functional for four days, leaving the residents in a dire situation. Villagers are either forced to fetch water from distant sources or rely on tanker services, which is expensive.

Despite repeated complaints to the department over the past six months, no action has been taken to improve the situation.

On Saturday, the villagers gathered at the Jal Shakti Department office to raise their grievances. During the protest, the villagers submitted a memorandum to department officials, demanding an immediate resolution to the water crisis.

The villagers expressed their outrage and called for accountability from the department. They warned of a more aggressive demonstration against the Jal Shakti Department if the crisis was not resolved in two days.