Source: Hueiyen News Service / N Sanajaoba Meetei
Imphal, June 12 2009:
Residents of Borayangbi area in Bishnupur district are facing problem of drinking water scarcity inconveniencing the people of the area in their effort to fetch potable water.
The villages affected by drinking water scarcity are Leingang, Mangjil, Borayangbi, Khoijuman, etc.
Since the main source of drinking water for the area, a
pipe water source, has been running out of service since the last four years, the villagers have to rely on a public pond at Laingoubi Thoubal Leikai and two hand pumps at Borayangbi.
The president of Laingoubi Meira Paibee, Thongam Shanti said that the two hand pumps at Borayangbi and the public pond at Laingoubi are the only source of drinking water for the people of the area.
She said: "The main source of potable water of the area had once been a pipe water supply from Leingang Water pump through a water tank at Mangjil.
But it has been long the system ceased to supply water to the localities".
Shanti added that water was supplied to the villagers though only for a short hour per day since the installation of the water supply in 1980.However, no single drop of water has fallen from the pipe since 15 years back.
Interestingly, she further recalls an incident wherein water was supplied to the villagers for barely three days some years back when there was buzz that a minister is visiting the area.
The severity of the problem can be demonstrated through the words of Oinam Thambal of Khullakpa, a daily small-time door-to-door pabulum vendor to Laingoubi village: "Asking for a cup of drinking water in Laingoubi village is considered the most discreditable words by every person of the village".
"I have never asked for even a glass of water from the villagers as I know the difficulty of the villagers in fetching water," she said while adding that the villagers have to walk more than a kilometer in fetching a pot of water.
A roadside eatery owner at Laingoubi, Yumnam Shantibala, whose business is on the verge of annihilation due to scarcity of water, said: "My business may end up any time as there is no one to supply me with water".
The president of Borayangbi Youth Development Club, Riyaz Khan said that children and elders of the area have been infected with various diseases as a result of shortage of drinking water.
He added that repeated reminders to the local MLA of the problem have not been heard yet.
The problem of the people of the area has been added by scarcity of water for daily use like bathing, washing, etc.
The people of Khoijuman have to travel around four kilometers to get a pot of water.