Singda Dam water stock runs low
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 17 2015 : Imphal area's main source of potable water, Singda Dam faces acute shortage of water.

Rapid drying up of the reservoir has raised concern and fear among the villagers of Singda area that the existing stock of water may last through the dry season.

Singda Dam located around 25 kms from Imphal is the main source of potable water for almost all the Imphal dwellers and its surrounding areas.

But with water level rapidly decreasing, constant fear of water scarcity has gripped the people.

In the previous years, water at the reservoir used to be at its normal level in the months of January, but this year, the water level has decreased to its minimum level, said a villager of Singda Bazar Kadangband Part-1 .

The villager further added that continuous siltation has made the reservoir shallow and has led to rapid drying up of the reservoir.

Stone quarrying and other activities in the hill ranges contribute to siltation and has shallowed up the reservoir, said the villager.

Even though VDF personnel are posted in the area to protect and look after the area, stone quarrying and other activities are continuing unabated, according to the villager.

Singda Water Treatment Plant pump operator Ahong-sangbam Gokulo said that water level in the reservoir has gone down to its all time low, adding that he had never seen the water reservoir drying up at such a rapid pace during the past many years.

The situation may be aggravated there is no rainfall in the coming weeks, he added.

Owing to the present situation, domestic water supply to the people has be cut down.

After, an interval of every two days, water is supplied to different localities under a rationining system.

Gokulo further added that supplying water to the consumers would not be a problem if adequate water is available at the plant.

But given the situation, it is imminent that water would be supplied after an interval of every three/four days.

PHED's maintenance division has been supplying 16 million litres of water everyday while the project division has been supplying 19 million litres of water on daily basis to the people from this two plants.

The main water source of the Kangphup Water Treatment Plant scheme is the Singda Water Treatment Plant and Leimakong.

But with the level of water at the two plants def let- ing fast, the main water reservoir of Imphai city could face a potential water crisis in the first quarter of this year.

One month of rainfall is unlikely to fill the water level of the reservoir now, pointed out Paoshe Kipgen, also a staff of the Singda Water Treatment Plant.

On other hand, the main valve for controlling the inflow of water to the two treatment plants�Singda and Kangchup, is yet to be repaired.

Through experts from other States have already looked into the defect of the valve, the PHED and other depts concerned have; not taken up any concrete steps till today to repair the damaged valve.

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