Shimla Reels Under Water Crisis and Wildfire Misery Amid Government Failure..where are water and firefighters.
Shimla — The residents of Shimla are battling a double whammy: a severe water shortage and a raging wildfire near Taradevi temple.
Residents are fed up, blaming government incompetence for their miseries.
The Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) delivered a pitiful 10.97 million liters (MLS) of water by 5:00 PM on June 15, down from 33.88 MLS earlier in the day.
This falls short of the city’s 45 MLS requirement. Key sources like Gumma, Giri, and Churot are drying up, while Seog contributed nothing.
On top of that, a 220 kV substation failure at Kunihar halted water pumping for hours.
Most areas have been dry for four days, while VIP zones and areas still get their fill.
“The government promised us a steady water supply during elections, but we’re left high and dry. It’s a joke!” raged Rajesh, a resident. 
Simultaneously, a wildfire around Taradevi temple has been wreaking havoc for over a fortnight, choking Shimla with smoke.
The fire, fueled by dry chil pine needles, has created a suffocating haze, adding to the city's woes.
“Breathing has become a nightmare. The smoke and heat are unbearable,” rued residents.
Firefighters are struggling to access the flames, with the forest department failing to contain the blaze.
“They’ve been unable to control the fire, and the chil trees just keep burning,” lamented Babu Ram Rohal, local from Kasumpti.
Tourists are flooding the city, adding pressure on resources.
Hoteliers are scrambling. “We’re running tankers non-stop just to keep up,” said Ramesh, a hotel owner.
Shimla MLA Harish Janartha hold an emergency meeting with SJPNL officials promising better water distribution.
But results are missing. Locals demand immediate solutions from the Sukhu government and the Congress-headed municipal corporation.
“It’s always the same—meetings and promises but no real action,” added Meena.
Shimla's crisis underscores a catastrophic failure in planning and leadership.
The city needs urgent measures to address both the water shortage and wildfire to prevent further suffering.
