No end to water crisis in Gurugram

Gurugram, January 8

Despite being promised a resolution within 36 hours, raw water supply is yet to be resumed in Gurugram.

GMDA runs out of reserved supplies

• The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), which was somehow managing with rationed supply, too, has run out of its reserved water and sounded an alert
• The GMDA had issued a warning for cautious use of water for 36 hours starting from January 6 evening

The irrigation NCR channel, through which raw water is supplied to the water treatment plants at Chandu Budhera and Basai in the city, had been breached a week ago.

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) had issued a warning for cautious use of water for 36 hours starting from January 6 evening.

Though the Irrigation Department now claims to have repaired the NCR channel which was breached at many areas, the supply has not been fully restored. Only one-third of water has been let in. This “shortage” has pushed many areas in the city, especially New Gurugram, into water crisis.

The GMDA, which was somehow managing with rationed supply, too has run out of its reserved water and sounded an alert. “The present supply in the channel is one-third of the total capacity. We had been providing water in a rationed manner. We had a reserve stock of water only for three days which has now run out. While the majority of the city is holding up, we have complaints from tail-end sectors. We are in touch with the Irrigation Department to resolve the crisis,” said Abhinav Verma of GMDA. The key affected areas include Sectors 116, 117, 112, 92, 81, 82, 58, 59, 70, 71, 72, 74, DLF phase 3 V block.

The residents are calling in tankers in these areas. Tanker operators — cashing in on the crisis — have doubled the rates. “Following the warning, we did ration our water usage. But many areas where there is no arrangement for storage in residential societies are facing trouble. Water tankers have doubled their rate. Due to high demand, tankers are unavailable in many areas,” said Praveen Malik of United Association of New Gurugram.

The situation is expected to worsen if the supply is not resumed by tomorrow.