CM: Drinking water shortage in 2 Dehra panchayats to end today

Dharamsala, June 22

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has taken cognisance of an acute drinking water problem in the Dehra Assembly constituency from where his wife Kamlesh Thakur is contesting the byelection on the Congress ticket.

Sukhu, in a press note issued here today, said that he would ensure there was no shortage of drinking water in the panchayats of the Dehra constituency. The drinking water shortage in Shivnath and Khabli panchayats would end by tomorrow, he added.

A delegation of people from Dehra had met the Chief Minister while he was campaigning for his wife in the constituency yesterday evening. Sukhu said, “I have taken cognizance of the drinking water crisis in Dehra. The delegation from both panchayats met me in Dehra. After listening to their problems, I instructed the officials of the Jal Shakti and Power departments to solve the problem of Khabli and Shivnath panchayats immediately, which they did.”

He added, “The villages in both panchayats have been connected to other drinking water projects and smooth supply will start from Sunday. Besides Khabli and Shivnath, if there is a drinking water problem in any other panchayat, it will also be resolved.”

The Chief Minister said that people had told him about the drinking water shortage. “Due to scorching heat, many drinking water schemes of the Jal Shakti Department have dried up. Problems are arising as the supply sources of these schemes have gone dry. I instructed senior officials of the department to solve the problem and they took action immediately,” he added.

He said that there would not be drinking water shortage anywhere in the Dehra constituency. “The Jal Shakti Department has also been directed to find a permanent solution to the problem. The drinking water crisis will be permanently resolved by setting up new schemes on the Beas. By strengthening old schemes built on the Beas, clean drinking water will be provided to people using new technology. The department officials have been instructed to ensure that there is no drinking water shortage in Dehra as well as other Assembly constituencies,” he added.

Supply sources go dry due to severe heat

Due to scorching heat, many drinking water schemes of the Jal Shakti Department have dried up. Problems are arising as the supply sources of these schemes have gone dry. I instructed senior officials of the department to solve the problem and they took action immediately. — Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister