Declined rainfall, snowfall causing water crisis: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday cited the decline in rain and snowfall in 2018 for the acute water shortage in Shimla.

"This year we have received less snowfall and rain in Himachal Pradesh. The water level in the traditional water resources in Shimla has gone down. The water level which was around 36 MLD (millions of litres per day) in 2015 has gone down to 22 MLD this year," Thakur told ANI.

"It's tourist season and the population of Shimla has also increased leading to such crisis. Our government has taken measures to resolve the issue. Yesterday's rain has brought some relief as the water level has increased to 28.4 MLD," he added.

Owing to the water crisis, the tourism industry in the hill station has been massively hit, with tourists cancelling their trips.

The tourists are also complaining of overcharging for the services rendered to them.

Bottled water prices in the town have inflated sharply due to the crisis, and the hotels have resorted to supplying water to their guests in buckets.

Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Municipal Corporation Shimla not to distribute water through tankers.

The court had also directed the state government and the MC Shimla body not to allow any water supply for building construction and car washing.

The Shimla administration has also postponed a major tourist attraction, International Shimla Summer Festival, scheduled from June 1 to 5 due to the scarcity of water in the town.