Chandigarh, September 11: Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has decided to hire private water tankers to supply drinking water in specific areas of the city during the closure of the Bhakra Canal Main Line from October 10 to 24. Washing of vehicles and watering of lawns would also be prohibited during the closure period. With this contingent plan in place, the corporation expects to meet the water supply demands of the residents for eight hours a day in two shifts.

At present, the corporation has a fleet of 12 mounted tankers varying from 3,000 litres to 8,000 litres in capacity and 22 trolley-mounted tanks of 1,000 litre each, said corporation officials.

Corporation officials revealed the contingent plan to the UT Home Secretary in a meeting held here today. The meeting was chaired by the Home Secretary to review the preparedness of the corporation to face the emergency situation arising due to the closure of the main line for inspection of railway bridges over the canal. Others present in the meeting included Municipal Commissioner P S Aujla, Director Water Regulation, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), Nangal, Superintending Engineer, Bhakra Main Line (BML), K K Sharda, engineer D S Sandhu and other officials of Municipal Corporation Chandigarh.

Superintending Engineer of the BML confirmed the revised schedule of closure from October 10 to 24 (including both days), as per the notice issued by the Principal Secretary Punjab (irrigation). During the meeting, officials assured that 4 to 5 metre of water would be available in the canal during its closure.

The Home Secretary was also apprised about the alternate arrangements of lifting water from the bed of the canal during its closure by transferring electricity from Kajauli Water Works to canal banks by laying over-head transmission lines (2,000 feet), setting up of a temporary electricity sub-station and procurement, installation and commissioning of 30 submersible pump sets of capacity two MGD each on the canal bed at an estimated cost of Rs 61 lakh.

The meeting also decided that besides alternative arrangements, public awareness would be created to conserve water in the city.

Municipal Commissioner P S Aujla said the ban on wastage of water by washing vehicles and watering lawns would be imposed strictly during the period. “The officials of the concerned departments will visit sectors that will be divided into various zones. The ban will be supervised by junior engineers and sub-divisional engineers,” he said.