HP High Court asks SMC reasons for water shortage

TIL Desk/National/Shimla-Himachal Pradesh High Court today asked the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) to explain reasons for shortage of water supply in Shimla again and instructed it to ensure water is supplied in the town as per directions passed by the court from time to time. The court also directed the SMC to file a status report in this regard by October 25.

During hearing of the petition, Pollution Control Board brought to the notice of the court that the SMC had given details of 42 water storage tanks and 4 reservoirs. The board had taken samples from there for which 12 reports have been received and others are awaited.

The court also directed the Pollution Control Board to file a status report on the next date of hearing. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a petition taken up suo moto by the court as Public Interest Litigation on the basis of reports published in newspaper on January 3.