By Sunil Sonker
Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 23 Sep: Mussoorie is currently grappling with a severe drinking water crisis. Taps in many areas of the city have stopped running, leaving residents desperate for every drop of water. The situation is so dire that some colonies have not received a drop of water for many days. The worst water shortages are being felt in areas like Bakery Hill, Rajmandi, Barah Kainchi, Indira Colony, Guru Nanak School area, and Butchery. Residents here wander around with buckets and cans daily in search of water. An elderly resident of Rajmandi said, “We have never seen such a crisis in our lives. We don’t even have drinking water, and the administration is only making announcements.”
The residents of Indira Colony have clearly stated that, if water is not provided soon, they will take to the streets and protest. Women in the colony reported having to carry water from several kilometres away, which is disrupting household chores and childcare. Residents of Butcharkhana reported that their area has been without water for five consecutive days. A local youth said, “Let alone bathing, we are even buying water for drinking and cooking.”
The situation is even more difficult for the poor. Residents of Barahkanchi also expressed similar complaints, saying that the administration only answers calls, but does not address the problem. Locals are demanding that water tankers be sent more frequently or that water be supplied from alternative water sources until the pumping scheme is fully repaired. Residents have warned that, if the problem is not resolved soon, they will be forced to resort to protests and road blockades.
TS Rawat, assistant engineer at the Mussoorie Garhwal Jal Sansthan, admitted that several pipelines have been damaged by the recent disaster. The pumping station of the Mussoorie Yamuna Drinking Water Pumping Scheme has malfunctioned. The Jal Nigam is repairing it. He assured that the supply will be restored soon.
