Shimla water crisis: Himachal Pradesh HC puts hotels, water ‘keymen’ under radar
People in Shimla wait to collect drinking water from the tanker as the city faces acute shortage. (Express Photo by Pradeep Kumar) People in Shimla wait to collect drinking water from the tanker as the city faces acute shortage. (Express Photo by Pradeep Kumar)
In a fresh attempt to tide over the water crisis in Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed Commissioner of Shimla Municipal Corporation to disconnect water supplies to hotels which have defaulted in clearing their dues. The court sought a compliance report to its order by May 31.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, which has been monitoring the situation, said: “We direct the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Shimla to immediately take steps to disconnect water connections of those hoteliers who have not yet cleared their Municipal dues. However, if anyone of the hoteliers volunteers to deposit the amount within a period of two days, such disconnection be put in abeyance for such period.”
Putting the role of water keymen under its radar, the court said, “We direct that if anyone of the keymen is found negligent in discharge of their duties or found indulgent in inequitable/unauthorised distribution of water, disciplinary proceedings shall be forthwith initiated.”
The bench noted that there were 224 hotels in the town with 527 water supply connections. It ordered the authorities for a physical verification to check whether they were drawing excess water than what was sanctioned to them.
The bench observed during the hearing that there were a large number of houses being operated as home stays and asked the Director (Tourism) to furnish the details by May 31, 2018. “He shall personally remain present in the Court,” the order said.
The court took exception to the fact that Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) Ltd has not conceded the request of the Municipal Corporation for diverting water from their storage capacity at Chaba and ordered same be done immediately. “If such request is not favourably considered by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd. by May 30, 2018, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh shall remain present in the court on May 31,” the court ordered.
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