Facing major water crises, Theog residents protest inside SDM office

Shimla: Facing a drinking water crisis even before the onset of the summer season, residents of Theog and surrounding villages in Shimla district entered the SDM office on Thursday and raised slogans against the state govt and officials, stating that they are getting drinking water supply once every 15-20 days. The Theog SDM called the police to control the situation and tried to assure the protesting residents, including women, that their issue would be addressed on priority. The protestors accused the Jal Shakti department officials of ignoring their repeated complaints, and said that the department officials do not even bother to answer their calls.
Residents of Theog usually face drinking water problems in summers, and the Jal Shakti department supplies water through tankers to the people of the area. As a water supply scam of allegedly Rs 1.13 crore was detected last year in Theog, the Jal Shakti dept put many officials under suspension after prima facie finding their involvement. The protesting residents of Theog on Thursday also demanded strict action against the involved officials in the scam. Former MLA from Theog, Rakesh Singha, brought the scam to the fore, based on the information sought under RTI Act. The official information revealed that the registration numbers of vehicles used for supplying water to Theog residents last year turned out to be those of cars, scooters, and govt officers.
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