Rs 65 crore Giri Water Scheme to neet water needs of Shimla town

Shimla, Jun 11 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today the Rs 65 crore Giri Water Supply will solve the drinking water needs of the town for the next 30 years.

Presiding over the meeting of IPH and officers of other departments to review the water situation in the state capital here, he said work was on in the scheme at war footing to complete it before its inauguration on October two, later this year.

Mr. Thakur said the 66 KV power station for the augmentation of the scheme would be commissioned by July 31, this year and would help in lifting water from Giri River to storage tanks here.

He also directed the officials to replace the old water lifting pumps in the existing water supply schemes to ensure uninterrupted water supply.

The state government was also considering a proposal to lift water from Pabber river in Shimla district and a detailed project report (DPR) was being prepared, he said.

He said the water scheme, likely to cost Rs 650 crore, would solve the water problem of the town for next 50 years.

The government was providing Rs 35 crore energy charges to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) for lifting water to Shimla town and its distribution, besides Rs 75 crore being spent in other parts of the state, he said.

He said 19 water storage tanks had also been constructed, out of which eight, had been tested for their effective, while the remaining would be tested soon.

MORE UNI