Tullu pump misuse creates water crisis in Kangra dist

The Jal Shakti Department is grappling with a growing challenge of artificial water scarcity in rural Kangra, triggered by residents illegally using tullu pumps to extract drinking water.

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Despite a clear ban on connecting tullu pumps directly to piped water supply lines, some consumers continue to flout the rules, resulting in disrupted water distribution across several villages.

One such violation came to light in Ghambirpur village under the Nandpur Bhatolli Gram Panchayat in Dehra subdivision. Acting on multiple public complaints, a department field team led by Junior Engineer Ajit Dhiman conducted an inspection yesterday. The team discovered four households using tullu pumps illegally and seized the devices on the spot.

In a twist of irony, one of the violators had recently lodged a complaint about water shortage through the Chief Minister’s Helpline (1100). However, he was caught red-handed during the raid with a tullu pump installed at his home.

Manish Kumar, Assistant Engineer at Haripur Jal Shakti Department, confirmed the seizure and warned that such misuse would not be tolerated. “The department will continue to carry out surprise inspections to curb this malpractice. Offenders risk disconnection of their water supply,” he cautioned.