Senapati, September 29: Two water supply plants constructed under ARWSP was simultaneously inaugurated at two places - one at Purul Rosofii and the other at Maiba by the PHED minister, TN Haokip yesterday.

The project costing Rs 19.92 lakh each has an installed capacity of 25.81 Kl settling tank, 55.23 Kl service reservoir and 2 nos.of 7.25 x 4.15 slow sand filters.

Each scheme will benefit about 300 households.

The work was executed by the PHED, Manipur which started on August 27, last year.

After inaugurating the scheme at Purul Rosofii, the minister and his entourage were given a warm welcome at Maiba village with gun-shots and traditional whoopee reverberating the air.

Later, at the public gathering, the chief engineer, PHED in the keynote address said the govt�s objective of taking up the water supply scheme is to ensure safe drinking water to the people and is also launching total sanitation campaign in the rural areas in the near future.

The same campaign has been launched in the valley months ago.

Under this campaign, low cost latrine will be constructed for the people living below poverty line with an estimated funding of Rs.2 lakhs per 5000 population.

The chief guest of the inaugural ceremony, TN Haokip, said that the water supply scheme is dedicated to the villagers and added that it is their duty to take care of the scheme.

He also assured the villagers that tech nical help, if any, in the future would be provided for maintenance of the scheme.

Responding to the memorandum submitted by the Maiba village authority regarding deplorable condition of the 7 km Koide-Maiba road - the only road link to the outside world, the minister after traversing the bumpy road assured to bail out the villagers of the plight along with the local MLA who was also present in the midst.

The demand for construction of a guest house by the villagers was sidelined stating that provision would come later.

Displeased over the practice of jhoom cultivation in the area, the minister hinted the villagers to adopt sustainable method of cultivation citing horticulture as one viable alternative of generating incomes for the farmers while exhorting the villagers to change living standard as well as method of cultivation.

Speaking at the Christian village, Karong AC MLA Henry Paotei, who presided over the ceremony, thanked the villagers for electing him in the last assembly election and appealed them to remain united stating that politics must not divide the villagers.

Emphasizing on the need to preserve forest and its flora and fauna, he stated that deforestation and hunting of wild animals must be discouraged.

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