Dharamsala, June 5
Though Dharamsala, which is the district headquarters of Kangra, is
facing an acute water shortage crisis, officials of the Irrigation and
Public Health Department refuse to accept that the situation is bad.
The district administration also seems to have accepted the version of
the IPH officials. This is apparent from the fact that tankers have
been deployed in many subdivisions, no such action has been taken at
Dharamsala.
This has forced the affected people to make their own arrangement.
Private vehicles are providing water at exhorbitant rates in many
areas.
Civil Lines, Depot Bazar, Sham Nagar, Ram Nagar, and Khazanchi
Mohalla are some of areas in Dharamsala where due to the water
scarcity, private jeeps are ferrying water. Though the water supply at
source has decreased drastically, the IPH Department has not
introduced tankers in the town.
The department is only making a token use of the water available at
the tubewell dug by the Central Groundwater Board at Dari.
According to IPH Chief Engineer North Zone Mr Guliani, the tubewell
was energised in December and the water is being supplied to Dari and
its surrounding areas. But the fact is that the department has
installed only small motor fit for energising a hand pump and is only
lifting a small portion of water available. Thus, a large amount of
drinking water which can serve a big area is not being put to use.
Interestingly IPH officials have made a new proposal for about Rs
40 lakh for drilling a new tubewell in Chiran Khad to augment the
Dharamsala water supply. According to Mr Guliani, tenders have been
floated and the work will start after the formalities are completed.
From this, it seems that Dharamsala will be denied adequate water
supply this year.
Similar reports have been received from other subdivisions. The
worst affected are animals who are not getting enough water. There are
complaints of polluted water being supplied by the tankers. A senior
citizen from Palampur today blamed the IPH officials of the area of
ignoring the problems of the residents.
