With an aim to keep tabs on unauthorised potable water consumers in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand, Jal Sansthan officials have decided to publicise the name of defaulter customers, who either fail to clear their outstanding potable water bills or using potable water without having valid water connection.
The problem of potable water theft is not new to the Jal Sansthan despite the fact that more than one decade has passed since the formation of State. Even after taking couple of measures to curtail potable water theft incidents across the state, the acute shortage of potable water has also become perennial problem in the State.
Since the duration of the water supply ranges between one to two hours each in morning and evening, the residents normally keep their bucket full for emergency. Since there is a huge gap between breakdown and repair of hand pumps, resident so often take another turn by applying for the water connections.
The demand of drinking water has been increasing year after year in the state and those who are living in the remote parts of the state are facing the heat and forced to traverse several kilometers to quench their thirst. Department sources, who wished anonymity, told The Pioneer that the water crisis in the region has deepened as traditional water sources that fulfill the maximum drinking water requirement of the region have gone dry.
Another source, on condition of anonymity told The Pioneer that consumption of potable water has increased in the last one decade and it has turned extremely difficult for the department to meet with the daily demand of potable water. “Department is facing 14-15million liters per day (MlD) shortfall that is compensated through the limited public water supply capacity,” he said, adding that acute shortage of potable water would be overcome once all the pending projects complete in the near future.
He said that the water pipelines normally burst during the winter season with the decrease in the mercury and repairing the lines is the only solution for the resuming the supply of potable water to the residents. After lamenting that residents normally do not inform the department about any leakage and blockage of pipe lines, he said that the department has decided to take stringent action against those consumers, who fail to clear their outstanding potable water bills. Besides, residents would be also sensitised for clearing their dues.