Shimla gone out of water in scorching heat

Shimla is witnessing a major water crisis during peak tourist season with taps running dry for the eighth day in most parts of the city, forcing people to buy water at exorbitant prices and smaller hotels to cancel bookings even as drinking water supply in the Queen of Hills fell to less than 50% of requirements, courtesy a dry winter.

On Sunday night, about 100 people staged a midnight sit-in protest outside the waterworks office on the main Mall Road and the police stopped them from heading towards the residence of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who on Monday constituted a committee headed by chief secretary Vineet Chowdhary to monitor daily water supply.