Water should be made available to Bani and Makdol Panchayat from Thermati Tank : Dr Tanwar
Even after 78 years of independence, the people of Bani and Tharmati Panchayat are thirsty
In a statement issued on Friday, Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha State President Dr. Kuldeep Tanwar has demanded from Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu that the residents of Bani and Makdol Panchayats of Kasupanti constituency should be provided water from the Lift Giri Drinking Water Scheme. Dr. Tanwar said that even after 78 years of independence, the people of these Panchayats are yearning for pure water and no government has solved the serious drinking water problem of the people of Bani and Makdol Panchayats and even today the people are surviving by buying water from tankers.
He said that in the year 2022, the people of these Panchayats had staged a protest regarding non-availability of water in Bhekhalti. During that time, the previous government had promised to provide water within six months, which has not been fulfilled even after four years.
Dr. Tanwar stated that a storage tank for the water lifted from the Giri River for Shimla city has been built at Thermati, near Fagu. Only five lakh liters of water from this tank will be made available to the people of Bani and Makdol Panchayats. He added that water supply from the Sutlej River to Shimla city has begun, and there are plans to provide 24-hour water supply to Shimla.
Dr. Tanwar said that the Jal Shakti Department is providing adequate water to the private hotels running between Fagu and Theog and the people of this area are craving for water, which is a gross injustice to the people of these Panchayats.
Residents of the affected panchayats, including Indra Singh Fauji, Gyan Bhotka, Jeetram, Sanjeev Bhotka, Ramesh, Pradeep, Krishna Devi, Mamta Devi, Rekha Devi, Lalit Bhotka, Naresh, and several others, said that Kasumpti MLA and Cabinet Minister Aniruddh Singh had made false promises to them. Upon becoming a minister, he promised to provide water from the Thermati tank within six months, but to date, they have not received any water. Occasionally, every 15 days, they receive JSV water for a short period. They allege that no government has addressed their problems.
The people of the area have demanded from the government that now there is sufficient water of Sutlej available in Shimla city and the water which has been lifted from Giri river for Shimla city should also be included in this scheme so that the people can get relief.
Jal Shakti Department Koti JE Sunil Bikhta said that people are getting water as per routine and there is no such problem.
