Shimla, May 28 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh High Court today took suo motu notice of the crisis in water supply in Shimla Town and asked whether any new construction should be allowed to come up within the municipal limits or not.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel said, “The problem of water scarcity within Shimla town, as highlighted, takes us to yet another issue and that being as to whether any new construction should be allowed to come up within the municipal limits of Shimla town at all or not."

The bench said that the town, except for one, did not have its own perennial source of water, which is required to be pumped from the river sources at a distant place.

"Whether the present holding capacity is sufficient enough to cater to the ever-growing urban population or not, is an issue which certainly needs to be addressed,” it said and directed the municipal commissioner and engineer to remain present in the court during hearing tomorrow.

Advocate General Ashok Sharma informed the high court that the highest authority was already seized of the matter and appropriate steps were being taken for immediately redressing the problem.

“We are fully in agreement with the submissions made by the Advocate General that long term solution to the problem can be found with the construction of check dams and reservoirs where water can be stored for longer period of time and utilised at the time of water scarcity, more so, during summer months," the bench observed.

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