Water scarcity continues to plague Shimla

Shimla, May 1 (UNI) Scarcity of water has gone to such an extent in the tourist resort of Shimla that serving guests with milk seems an easier proposition to the residents than serving them water.

With the drinking water supply restricted to every third or fourth day and that too for half an hour only, even having bath has become a luxury for people.

Ms Saroj's family in Chakkar area of the town has not seen water in their taps since the beginning of April.

Her family's water needs are fulfilled by the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) or private water tankers that make a round of her locality once in three days. Even to get this, her family has to stand on the road since early morning to ensure that they do not lose their place in the long queue of buckets and cans lined for their turn to collect water from the tanker.

''We re-use the water after washing utensils and clothes in latrines in the absence of regular water supply. Serving guests milk seems an easy proposition then serving them water,'' Saroj added.

Such stories of the town's residents going without water for days on end or getting just little to meet their daily chores abound.

Yet, successive state governments, who have come by promising to resolve the issue of water scarcity in the town have been so far unable to address the issue effectively.

It has now become round the year problem. However the authorities have their own explanations. According to them the town faces water scarcity in winters as supply lines get frozen, while during the summers the supply falls short due to increase in demand and drying of the water sources. The situation is no better in monsoon even as silt choke the water pumps.

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