CHANDIGARH: In an unprecedented move, water supply staff of the Indian government controlled Chandigarh administration went on a lightning strike recently to completely paralyze the water supply system for well over three days.

Six lakh residents of Chandigarh had to move from pillar to post in search of bucket of drinking water, The Chandigarh administration promptly called in the army as is usual with civil administration all over the country in dealing with all kinds of emergencies from law and order to floods and fires. But the army was of avail to restore the supply. India has an army of engineers but they do not have even plans of cither sources of water or the lines of supply. The result was that the army engineers could not restore the supply. There was no arrangement to supply _ water through tankers. A small number of available tankers were put to private use by top bureaucrats of the Chandigarh administration and senior officers of Punjab and Haryana states posted in Chandigarh. In fact, the supply of water through mobile tankers become a symbol of status for most officers for three days.

Meanwhile, the local administration had arrested not only all the leaders of the striking employees but also most of the employees. There was talk of invocation of anti-terrorist law. When the army failed to rectify the system and undo the vast sabotage, the authorities developed cold feet, released all the employees, started talks with them on their demands in exchange for their readiness to restart the supply.

The key demands of the water supply staff center round confirmation and promotion in the union territory which remains an ad hoc arrangement politically. Chandigarh’s future hangs in balance. Yet the administration has already recruited a 30,000Strong staff to man a city of six Lakh people. Punjab which eventually has to inherit the city and the staff refuses to own them as an unbearable burden. The Indian government is in no mood to end its ad hic policy towards the city.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1992