Underlying the fact that the Municipal Corporation officials hold the key to equal distribution of water in Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the officials to form a WhatsApp group so that their working can be monitored.  The court directed for forming a dedicated WhatsApp group that would be supervised by the Assistant Commissioner, MC Shimla.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed these orders after taking into consideration the complaints of unequal water supply in different areas of the ‘Queen of Hills’.

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The court observed that the ‘keyman’ not only holds the key for fair and equal distribution of water, but he can also put the entire town to ransom.

“It is an open secret that the keyman is the key as far as the distribution of said water to the ultimate consumer is concerned. He is the first and the last person between the water available for distribution and the consumer. If he performs his duty honestly, prudently and skillfully, he can ensure equal distribution of water to all, but if a keyman happens to abuse his position, then the results can be disastrous,” the court observed.

The Municipal Engineer and all Junior Engineers who are dealing with the supply of potable water have been directed to share details of water received from various schemes and the details of its distribution zone-wise.

The court called for providing hourly updates in the WhatsApp group which would be monitored by an Amicus Curiae and the details of all keymen, including the timing and the place where each keyman is deployed for distributing water.

Now, the MC officials will have to update the water supply time within five minutes after the keyman releases water in a particular area.

In addition, details of water controlling valves (keys) of each of the keymen, presently holding the key should be provided to amicus curiae within 24 hours, for the purpose of monitoring the uploading of such information.

The court further directed for sensitising keymen those who are not on WhatsApp on providing such info on WhatsApp group or to the Junior Engineer(s) concerned.

The court will hold the JEs responsible for updating the data on the WhatsApp group and any laxity exercised would amount to contempt of court.

The court also directed to put all keymen under surveillance and they shall be accompanied by at least two police officials while releasing water supply and video recording the entire procedure.

“Jingles be prepared and aired by the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, to both educate and sensitise the public at large that prudent usage of water is the need of the hour and also as to what steps should be taken by the public to conserve and save water,” the court said.

Court lauds CM’s efforts in resolving crisis 

Himachal Pradesh High Court lauded the efforts of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in handling the emergent water crisis in Shimla.

“As apprised by the learned Advocate General, we are appreciative of the efforts put in by the CM in himself monitoring the situation, resulting into the increase of water to be distributed amongst the residents of Shimla town,” the court observed.

The division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel said Thakur is actively monitoring the situation in Shimla and the government’s efforts had resulted in additional water for supply to the residents.

The court directed the administration to ensure that miscreants do not disturb or create hurdles in the distribution of water through water tankers and imposed a ban on holding dharnas or protests.

The process of disconnection of water connections of defaulter hotel owners should be commenced and no laxity shall be exercised by the Corporation in the said process. The court also instructed media to not publish reports which suggest that tourists are being dissuaded from visiting the ‘Queen of Hills’.

“Media should restrain from publishing material which may be construed as a message that tourists are either not welcome in the town or that the tourists should not visit the town,” the court ruled.