Dehradun cloudburst: Over 35,000 people struggle for drinking water; supply lines washed away
After a major disaster hit Dehradun, drinking water lines have been washed away, leaving 35,000 people without water. In areas like Rajpur, Jakhan, and Malsi, people are depending on natural sources and standing in long lines to collect water for daily needs.
Dehradun: A major disaster caused huge destruction in Dehradun last Monday, damaging roads, bridges, homes, and most importantly, drinking water pipelines. As a result, nearly 35,000 people in various areas are now struggling to get even a drop of water.
The worst-hit areas include Rajpur, Jakhan, and Malsi, where people are now depending on natural water sources like springs and small streams for their daily needs. These natural sources, which were once ignored, have now become lifelines.
People are reaching natural resources for water
Every morning, men, women, and children leave their homes with water cans, buckets, and containers. Many of them ride on scooters and bikes to reach the natural water sources near Old Mussoorie Road, especially the spring near Swami Vivekananda Tapasthali in Rajpur. People make long queues here from early morning.
Some people are also bathing and washing clothes at these water sources because they have no other option. The situation is becoming worse each day, especially for women, elderly people, and children.
Dehradun has many natural water sources
Dehradun has many natural water sources that make it beautiful and help in maintaining a healthy environment. There are also many natural springs in Dehradun, like Tashi Spring and Sahastradhara, which are known for their clean, mineral-rich water. The forests and hills around the city help keep the groundwater levels high. However, with increasing development, some of these water sources are facing pollution and drying up, which is a growing concern for the city’s future.
Shikhar Fall water line is completely damaged
The Shikhar Fall water line, which supplies drinking water to large parts of Dehradun including Rajpur, is completely damaged. Due to this, areas like Ward 1, Ward 4, Malsi, Kuthalgate, Sapera Basti, Suman Nagar, and Caravan Village are without water. Following the incident, over 35,000 people in Dehradun are without drinking water.
Situation remains the same after restoration efforts
The Jal Sansthan (Water Board) teams are working hard to fix the damage, but progress is slow. Even after five days, the water supply has not been restored. On 17th September, Shailesh Bagauli, the Secretary of Drinking Water, inspected the area and ordered that water supply must be restored by 19th September. But the deadline has passed, and the situation remains the same.
Water is being supplied to some affected areas through tankers, but many places are still not getting water because roads are broken, and tankers cannot reach them. On Saturday, the Water Board teams managed to restore water supply to areas above Dilaram Bazaar, but most areas are still dry.
Authorities are not doing enough
Local people are angry and disappointed. Many say that the authorities are not doing enough. They want quicker action to fix the pipelines and restore regular water supply.
This disaster has shown how important proper planning and maintenance of basic services like drinking water is, especially in hilly areas like Dehradun. People are requesting the government to speed up repair work and also to set up emergency water points in all affected areas.