As the public of Shimla city found no respite from the ongoing water crisis resentment continues to brew up and protest continues unabated. The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) monthly meeting on Wednesday was witness to ruckus and mayhem on the issue of water scarcity.

Stating that the water crisis has worsened with taps running dry for almost nine days in various areas of Shimla, the councilors of Congress and Communist Party of India (CPI) staged a walkout.

The councilors pulling up the Bharatiya Janata Party headed civic body for the water emergency demanded the resignation of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor who chaired the house in the absence of Mayor who is on a China visit adjourned the house. Protests were reported from various parts of the Shimla city.

A public protest headed by Former deputy Mayor Harish Janartha in resentment marched from Sher-e-Punjab to the Deputy Commissioner office.

Keeping in view the massive protest of public on Tuesday, wherein the CPIM activist tried to force entry into the Deputy Mayor office, the police on Wednesday beefed up security in the DC office.

“The state government and the civic body should have initiated adequate measures to save the public from such a water emergency which could have easily been handled. The city is receiving 21 to 22 Million per Litre per Day (MLD) water daily against the requirement of 40 to 44 MLD. With almost half of the water available, every household could have been provided water every third day, he said, adding that the crisis is all due to the system failure of the civic body that has failed in proper distribution of water.

Under the leadership of Congress Member of Legislative (MLA) Assembly from Kusumpati constituency Anirudh Singh, Congress Councilors along with the public held a chakka-jam at Talland. The public in the Boileuganj had been

protesting since the last two days, on Wednesday held a chakka-jam and have also resorted to indefinite hunger strike.

BJP Kiran Bawa councilor Boileuganj said, “We are requesting the public not to protest as the entire city was in the grip of water scarcity. I personally ensured water was supplied to the area through tanker yesterday and I have assured them that the area will receive water on Thursday.”

Despite assurances by the councilor and SDM, the unrelenting public expressed their anguish and continued with their protest maintaining water has not been supplied to them for the last over a week.  Protests were also reported from other area that includes Sanjauli.