Shimla is reportedly facing a water crisis due to the heavy influx of tourists to the hill station

• The massive surge in footfall of tourists in Shimla has created a water shortage in the city, as per a report by The Tribune.
• According to the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited, the supply of water is 2-3 million litres less than usual.
• This has happened mainly because of the weak monsoon and inadequate snowfall during the winters.

Shimla, situated in the foothills of Himalayas and the capital of Himachal Pradesh, has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. As the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, the footfall of tourists has surged massively to this region. And this has created a water shortage in the city, as per a report by The Tribune.

According to the authority, which is responsible for the distribution of water in Shimla municipal limits -- Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) -- the supply of water is 2-3 million litres per day (MLD) lesser than usual. This has happened mainly because of the weak monsoon.

Harmesh Bhatia of SJPNL told The Tribune, “We are getting around 40 millions litres of water per day, which is around 2-3 million litres less than what we require at the moment.”

Coupled with the sudden influx of tourists from many nearby states, this had led to a slight water shortage in Shimla. “We are applying cuts for 20-30 minutes as and when required,” Bhatia added further.

“We haven’t had much rain in the last 10-15 days, affecting water availability at the source,” Rajesh Kashyap of SJPNL told the newspaper.

The most affected area, as per the officials, is Ashwani Khud, as the district’s water level has severely gone down. “The water level in Ashwani Khud, in particular, has gone down considerably, from 4.5 million litres to 1.5 million litres of water,” Kashyap highlighted.

Inadequate snowfall during the winters is also one of the major reasons behind the water shortage. Officials of SJPNL say that the company will work on the issue and will try to cope with the rise in demand, if people ensure that there is no wastage of water.


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