Parwanoo water supply scheme to be handed over to Jal Shakti Dept

Solan, August 23

The Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) is planning to hand over the water supply scheme catering to Parwanoo town and its surrounding areas to the Jal Shakti Department (JSD).

This will ensure its apt management as the involvement of two agencies often impeded key works like timely repair of the water supply infrastructure and smooth supply of water to the residents. The problem was being faced every year when diarrhoea cases break out in this industrial area. Since water distribution is primarily the job of the Jal Shakti Department, the need to transfer the scheme to it was being felt since long.

HIMUDA maintains the supply of water drawn from the Kaushalya river to Parwanoo town while the Jal Shakti Department provides supply to the adjoining areas of Ambota, Kamli, Tipra and Chanderyani. “Extensive damage was caused to the dam on the Kaushalya during the monsoon last year. HIMUDA had undertaken repair work at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. This helped to tide over the problem to some extent though the area suffered water scarcity during peak summer days,” said Girish Sharma, Executive Engineer, HIMUDA.

HIMUDA had sent an estimate of Rs 4.80 crore to the state government to seek funds for the repair of the dam and water supply structure, including pipelines, roads, and safety measures required to protect the pumping station at Kamli.

It was decided in the Board of Directors meeting held in October 2023 under the chairmanship of CM Sukhu, who is the chairman of HIMUDA, to transfer the water supply of Parwanoo town to the JSD. The scheme is supposed to be handed over to the department after the current monsoon season. According to discussions held between the two departments, a sub-divisional office is to be opened at Parwanoo and a divisional office at Dharampur, besides Rs 5 crore will be provided for the repair and maintenance of the water supply infrastructure.