Delayed monsoon hits Kaushalya dam project

PANCHKULA: Panchkula's water woes will continue. For, Kaushalya dam — which was to supply an additional 20 MGD potable water to it — will become operational after a delay of one month. It was scheduled to be made functional during pre-monsoon that was expected in June.
But the delayed monsoon has hit the project, which was envisaged by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to end water scarcity here.
"We had thought that the city would receive pre-monsoon showers by June 15. But their delay has turned our plans topsy-turvy," said a HUDA official.
"The Kaushalya dam will function only after it rains. It will provide around 40 cusecs of water, that is, about 20 MGD, to the township," said HUDA superintending engineer N K Verma.
"We were expecting to make the dam operational in the first half of 2012. But as it has not rained till now, I think the city's water woes will end by 2013. Even if it rains in another some days, the dam's operation will take longer," said another officer.
This, however, has left residents disappointed. "Whenever we complained about the water problem in summer, the HUDA officials would say Kaushalya dam will soon end it. But now, they are saying that it has been deferred by a month. When will we have sufficient water?" said Gurjeet Singh, a resident of Sector 4.
Sarika Sharma, a resident of Sector 12-A, said, "We were happy that Kaushalya dam would end the water scarcity. But this year too, it has failed to meet its deadline."