Relying on tankers to beat water shortage

CHANDIGARH: One of the oldest sectors in Chandigarh—Sector 22— is fazed with severe water crisis at a time when the city is progressing towards becoming a ‘smart city’.
The residents have grown accustomed to the low water supply. Interestingly with the water tankers becoming a daily necessity, their concern has now shifted to the delay in the water tanker supply.Residents complained that the water tanker requests were served as late as two days by the MC water supply. Few residents have switched to calling private water tankers to fulfil their demands.
During a visit to Sector 22, the government staff quarters residents complained that they face worse situation due to their complete dependence on MC water supply as they are not permitted to install motors for pumping the water up to the overhead tanks. To add to their woes, there are no washrooms on the ground floors of the duplex government houses, and there is no water on the first floor. Senior citizens with health issues, who require more frequent access to washrooms, face an uphill task for using them.
“Keeping in view the neighbours’ water requirement, we do not use the installed motor at our home since it will consume the stored water in the ground water tank. We store the water in buckets every morning and carry the buckets to the first and second floor when needed,” said Amit Kumar Shingari, a resident. Residents are eagerly waiting for the problem of disrupted water supply to end after May 6 as mayor Davesh Moudgil on Thursday said the water pressure will be restored after the repair work in the Bhakra mainline canal will be over by the aforementioned date. The repair work had further aggravated the prevalent water shortage in the city with the majority of the sectors facing the issues of low water pressure and muddy water supply.