Problem of leaking joints
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The total length of the underground water pipelines is more than 1300 km in the Union Territory of Chandigarh with a total area of 114 sq km. It means that every sq km territory has more than 11. 25 km of underground pipelines.

Because of this enormous length of underground pipelines, the distribution losses are more than 15 per cent, which according to Public Health experts, are "well within the acceptable limits".

This means that for almost every seven million gallons of water, the wastage is a little more than one million gallons. The water losses, admit officials, are more in colonies, slums and unauthorised areas than in the Phase I and Phase II sectors. Some of the major and chronic leaking joints are on busy intersections.

For example, the newly commissioned traffic lights at the intersection of Sectors 27 and 28 has been one major leaking joint. Though the Public Health Circle of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation recently undertook major repairs of the leaking joint, it has started giving trouble again.

Today, this joint was dug up again.

The reason given by the Public Health experts is that because of the increased volume of traffic, the pressure coupled with vibration produced by the movement of vehicles, especially heavy vehicles, weakens the joints leading to leakage. The only way to handle such leakage, they say, is to minimise the vibration effect which is done by constructing a brick wall and filling the pit with sand around all such major trunk joints. The problem, they maintain, is more with shallow trunk and major pipelines.

There are, Corporation officials admit, about 22 to 25 such major leaking joints which need repair on regular basis. At times the repair work is done more than once a month.

Decision on revised water scheme by month-end
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — A decision on the enlarged and revised fourth phase of the Water Supply Augmentation Scheme for the Union Territory of Chandigarh is expected by the end of this month.

Though the government had already approved the phase IV of the scheme to bring in additional 20 mgd of water from the Bhakra Mainline Canal to the city at a cost of Rs 55 crore, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has submitted a revised plan to extend the scope of the scheme so as to bring in 60 mgd of water.

A final decision is expected by the end of this month. According to indications available, the Union Government may agree to enlarge the scope of the scheme to 30 mgd. “Once approved, it will take us three years to complete the work on this scheme,” says a senior official of the corporation.

Except for the Phase IV of the Water Supply Augmentation Scheme, there is no other major concrete proposal to be taken up either by the Administration or the Municipal Corporation to meet the growing demand of water in the union territory.

After the completion of the third phase of the scheme, a few years ago, the Administration and the Municipal Corporation have been seriously considering a couple of other proposals, including construction of a dam over the Ghaggar river to bring water to the city by gravitational force and also to bring water from the Nangal dam by an open-drain-cum-pipeline, by hydraulic pressure supported by the gravitational pull.

For the intervening period, the city got respite as the water board permitted digging of deep tubewells to augment the water supply. At present, work is on to sink 20-odd tubewells in the city. On an average, a deep tubewell, which can pump out about a half mgd of water costs Rs 12 lakh. By the end of May, 20-odd such tubewells will become operational, adding nearly 1 mgd to the city’s water distribution system.

The major disadvantage of pumping water against gravity from the Kajauli waterworks to the Sector 39 waterworks has been the power bill. At present, the recurring cost is about Rs 12 crore a year, including Rs 10 crore as power bill alone.

Even otherwise, the cost of such a scheme works out to be Rs 3 crore per mgd of water. Sources in the Administration and corporation maintain that bringing water from the Nangal dam, first by an open channel and then by an 8-foot diameter pipelines to the city will work out much cheaper. The initial cost of the project to bring 60 mgd of water has been worked out to be Rs 100 crore to Rs 125 crore with a nominal recurring cost. The proposal is already before the Union Government and has been favourably considered at initial stages.

The sources say that the other proposal to bring water from the Ghaggar dam has been more or less shelved again because of various reasons, including low content of water in the Ghaggar river and high cost. The project, as initially proposed, may cost almost four to five times the open drain-cum-pipeline project.

“For the time being, we have no choice but to go in for the Phase IV of the Water Supply Augmentation Scheme. This will not meet our growing requirement. We have to go in for a major project to meet the growing demand of water. Even sinking tubewells does not provide much relief. They only help in mitigating the hardship of some pockets, especially colonies,” says a senior official of the corporation.

For the fourth phase of the scheme, it has already been decided that the Punjab portion would be executed by the Punjab Government. This will need provision of Rs 4 crore in addition to the proposed projection of Rs 55 crore for the already approved 20-mgd scheme. Though the work on the scheme was scheduled to begin during the previous financial year, it was deferred as the civic body preferred to get the enlarged and revised scheme approved by the Union Government.

At present the same quantity of water was being pumped into the city’s system as it had been done for the past six months. If the problem of shortage is being felt in some areas or there are complaints of low pressure, there are reasons for it.

A spokesman for the public health circle of the Municipal Corporation said that at present there were nearly one lakh households in the city. Out of these nearly 7,000 to 10,000 households had one to two desert coolers each. During summer months, each cooler needs 4o to 50 gallons of water.

Besides, there has been a growing trend among the people to grow plants in pots. According to an estimate, nearly 25 per cent of the households in the city have 10 to 15 pots each. Each such pot needs one to two litres of water for irrigation every day during summer months.

The additional demand for water also stems from more frequent bathing, washing of floors to keep them cool and increased per capita consumption because of heat. Since the water in the system remains the same, the shortage is felt more during summers than winters.

He maintained that some visible relief would come only after the phase IV of the Water Supply Augmentation Scheme is commissioned.

Water crisis building up in city
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — With the rise in mercury, drinking water has started eluding residents of the city, particularly those living in the southern sectors. The situation is grimmer for those living on first and second floors. They have to suffer irregular water supply and low pressure of water everyday.

Many persons living in southern sectors are even contemplating shifting to sectors where water supply is better.

Col M.S Dhillon (retd), who lives on the second floor of a building in Sector 35-D said that the situation had worsened in the past 15 days as there was hardly any water supply in the morning. With no water supply in the afternoon and a little after 8 p.m., one had no option but to use the stored water sparingly. Since the water pressure was rather low on second floors, the tanks did not get filled. "I am determined to shift out as soon as I get a better place as the situation will worsen in the coming two months," he said.

The situation is no better in Sectors 21 and 22. Mrs Bimla Rani, a housewife who lives on the first floor of a Sector 22 house said, "I have to get up early every morning to fill water in buckets and utensils as we hardly get any supply till 7 a.m. "One has to wait for the evening supply to wash clothes and utensils. The problem worsens when guests arrive as stored water is not enough to wash utensils every now and then. She feared that in the coming two months, she would have to fetch water from downstairs or use community handpumps for washing clothes and bathing.

Another resident of the area, Sonia complained about low water pressure and dirty drinking water supply. "The pressure starts decreasing after 8 a.m. and `tullu' pumps remain the only alternative for those living on top floors to fill tanks. One cannot think of watering plants as the water is just enough to be stored for drinking and washing. The authorities concerned should take steps to increase the supply of drinking water," she said.

Mrs Kaushalya Devi of Sector 44 rued that there had been no water supply on the second floor of her house for the past two days. The 50-year-old woman had no pump to lift water to the second floor and she carried water from the ground floor.

Amit, a resident of Sector 45-C revealed that water rarely reached top floors and consequently, tanks remained empty. "With the authorities installing another tubewell in the area, the water supply may improve in the coming months," he said.

Some other residents in the area complained about the supply of drinking water being dirty. "We have to boil the water as the yellow coloured tap water is unfit for drinking," said Renu, a resident.

However, the situation is slightly better in the northern sectors where the problem is only beginning to show up in some parts of Sectors 7, 8, 15 and 19.

Power cuts hit water supply
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, April 9 — Each summer it is the same story when it comes to the condition of water and electricity supply in the township. This season also complaints of erratic power supply, low water pressure and leakage in the supply lines have already started to pour in from different sectors here.

Though officials of the Public Health Department of HUDA claim that at least 70 deep bore tubewells — the main source of water supply to the township — were already operational and another six would be added within the next one month, the problem still persists.

Unannounced power cuts were also affecting the water supply. Mr Ashutosh Rajan, a resident of Sector 10, says that as the water supply was dependent on the availability of power the taps went dry whenever there was a power failure. Sources in HUDA said a separate feeder line for the tubewells existed but power failures made things worse. Only three main boosting stations in Sectors 1 and 8 and the Industrial Area, Phase-I had standby generators. The rest of the tubewells were without generator sets.

Mr M.L.Sharma, a resident of Sector 15, seeks additional supply of water during the afternoon to compensate for the problem of low water pressure. At present the supply is from 4 am to 9 am and from 5 pm to 9 pm. He feels that if the problem persisted residents would be forced to use online booster pumps.

The complaint registers maintained at different centres of HUDA reveal that complaints of poor water supply and leakage in the supply lines are from the southern sectors of the township. The officials claim that complaints were attended to the same day, the problems resurfaced and the cycle continues. The sources said at least 300 leaking points existed in the township.

Besides the water supply poor quality of potable water in certain pockets of the township was also troubling the residents. Of the 15 water samples taken by the health department till March 31, at least nine had failed the chlorination test. Further bacteriological tests of four of the nine samples from Rajiv colony and Sectors 6, 11 and 12-A had failed.

Blaming HUDA for the poor water supply, Mr Sanjeev Chopra, a resident of Sector 12, says that the problem was due to “online losses” and “unjudicious” opening of pressure valves used to regulate the supply at the boosting stations. He was equally unhappy with the erratic supply of electricity since the past one month.

Ms Kamlesh Nayar, a housewife of Sector 15, says that unannounced power cuts — of short duration — continued for the whole day. A similar problem had surfaced during the last winter season, she adds.

Heat of power, water cuts begins
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, April 9 — Even as the summer has just set in, the residents of the city have already been bearing the heat caused by scarcity of drinking water and power for the past 15 days.

While an acute water shortage is being felt by those living on the first and second floors, the residents' main grudge against the Punjab State Electricity Board authorities is that they make unscheduled power cuts, which stretch from an hour to even five hours.

Mr H. S. Bhatti of Sector 70 said there was hardly any day when there was not a power cut between one and four hours. "What is disturbing the people, is the fact that these cuts are mostly unscheduled ones, for which no prior notice is given by the authorities concerned," he lamented. Mr Bhatti complained that the problem turned more pathetic when there was no power in the evening hours, especially between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. which had become more of a routine thing .Commenting on the ongoing water problem, Mr Bhatti said though the water pressure was fine, but its timings had become short. "We got water till 9 in the morning just 15 days back, but these days there was no water after 7.30 a.m.," he alleged

Satinder of a first floor house in Phase VI was sore at the prevailing power and water supply situation. "Even today, there was no power between 12 and 3 p.m.During the past 15 days, we have experienced such cuts lasting for three to four hours," she rued. She said, what was more painful was the indifferent attitude of the PSEB officials towards the problems of the residents. " You can imagine the plight of residents as whenever there is no power, no one entertains complaints at the complaint office, no one responds to the telephone calls as the receiver remains off the hook during the hours there is no power," she said.

Satinder, a teacher, complained that she did not get water on the first floor after 7. a.m. "During the past 15 days, I have not seen water at the first floor till 9a.m., which is the scheduled time," she said while adding that the power cuts were affecting her, as she had to prepare for her post graduate examinations during night time.

Sharanjit Kaur, another resident, was also unhappy over the situation. She said the authorities must do something to improve the situation. "Power cuts have been a routine feature in the city during summers, and there is nothing new about it," she said.

Mr G. S. Brar, a resident of Phase VII, said though drinking water was not a problem in his ground floor house, but poor power supply was affecting his life. "In the absence of any prior information regarding power cuts, you cannot plan anything for the day as you don't know when there will be no power," he said while demanding that at least the authorities should ensure that the residents be informed in advance regarding the power cuts.

Flying high with kites
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — “Propagating kite flying, collecting kites of different countries and organising kite festivals in India and abroad is my hobby” says artist-turned-kite man, Bhanu Shah, who is here for an exhibition of his paintings and to display the skills involved in kite making.

Interacting with mediapersons at Art Folio today, 57-year-old Bhanu claims to be an authority on Indian kites. “I have amassed 1,400 different kites”, says Bhanu.

After participating in the Dieppe International Kite Festival in France in 1988, Bhanu took to making his own kites.

Talking about his venture in kite making, Bhanu said his kites were designed and fabricated on cotton cloth with acrylic colour having traditional motifs. Other materials used were bamboo, fibre glass rods, fibre glass tubes aluminium tubes and wooden sticks.

Painted kites were flown in France, the UK, Thailand and Dubai.

His biggest kite measures 22x16 feet. It has a portrait of Lord Krishna (6 feet) and six portraits of Gopis. The kite took 45 days to make.

Bhanu established a kite museum in Ahmedabad. He spent three years studying the history of kites worldwide — from 200 BC to the present times. He said the museum war housed in the Cultural Centre, Ahmedabad, and designed by Corbusier, and inaugurated in February, 1986.

His two sons — Urjit and Nirang — are also involved in kite making. They have attended several national and international festivals with him.

Dr Alka Pande, member of Art Folio, said the centre was devoted to the promotion of art and craft in the region. It provides a platform to artists from all over the country to display and demonstrate their works of art.

Earlier, Mrs Sanita Paul, Manager of the centre, highlighted the achievements of the centre.

Bhanu will display his kite skills at the Chandigarh Club on April 11.

Sale of lottery tickets on despite ban
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — In the absence of a concerted drive by the police, the sale of lottery tickets which was banned by the Chandigarh Administration, continues in the city. The volume of sales can be gauged by the fact that tickets worth more than Rs 70 lakh are reportedly sold by wholesalers and retailers every day.

Lotteries being run by the state governments of Nagaland, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur only have been approved by the administration for sale in the city. Lotteries promoted by the state governments of Sikkim, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Goa and Arunachal Pradesh have been banned by the administration since 1996.

A quick survey of the city showed that vendors, in most cases several within one shop, are doing a roaring business unmindful of the authorities. A large number of people, including school-going children, could be seen asking for the ticket with the “magic number” that would make lady luck smile on them and change their destiny. A large number of “regulars” said although they lost most of the time, they could not kick the habit.

Maximum number of shops are located in sectors 22 and 17, Manimajra, Ram Durbar, besides major labour colonies and villages with a large number of migrant population.

According to sources, the rampant sale of single-digit lotteries had drawn the attention of the Administration and it was decided at a meeting held in 1996, presided over by the Deputy Commissioner and attended by other officers, that on the spot action under Section 144 Cr. P. C should be initiated against the offenders and that they should also be penalised as per the norms of the Sales Tax authorities.

As such, a list provided by the UT Finance Department listing the details of the lotteries along with the places where they would be sold were circulated and the police authorities were directed to ensure that no banned lottery was sold anywhere in the city.

That was more than two and half years ago. Apart from periodic raids by the ST department and the police nothing concrete was done. Since the trade generates a lot of money, the connivance of officials in “allowing” the trade to continue could not be ruled out, the sources said.

The audacity of the wholesalers could be judged from the fact that they even went on to advertise in some vernacular papers that they had been allowed to sell the lottery tickets banned by the Administration. The photocopies of the advertisement were then given to all sellers so that they could show it to whoever objected or tried to confiscate the tickets.

Interestingly, an advertisement by the stockists of one of the banned lotteries refers to a permission by the Administration given in 1995. The lotteries are bought from Delhi and brought to the city through courier service.

Sources said the reason why sellers prefer to stock the banned lotteries is the larger number of sets they offer. The profit motive is exploited by the sponsors of the lotteries and a case in point is that today the largest selling lottery run by a North East state offers seven sets, which means more than 150 draws in a single day, as compared to one to three draws of other approved lotteries.

This state also promotes another lottery, which is a big hit with the public. It has been termed as single-digit by the government.