RPI (A) demands adequate water supply
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 16 2021: The Republican Party of India (A), Manipur State Council has expressed strong concern over the shortage of water in the State amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlighting the shortage of safe drinking water, the State council of RPI (A) in a press release, questioned the policies of the Public Health Engineering Department during such a time to tackle the shortage.

The Department should not only take up necessary steps to provide sufficient supply but also ensure an adequate amount of water to villages, towns and localities which are yet to be linked with water supply facilities, it said.

It is disheartening to see such a poor state water supply, it said while drawing the attention of PHED Minister, Secretary or Commissioner and Chief Engineer of the Department to be very considerate of the situation and chalk out a proper and a long term plan to ensure adequate of safe and drinkable water to all households of the State.

The Water Supply Scheme was launched in Manipur as early as 1913 by Sir Churachand Maharaj but even after nearly 108 years of its existence the State is still unable to reach out to all households, it said.

After nearly 55 years, the Department overlooking 'Water Supply' was renamed as Public Health Engineering Department and despite its functioning for over 43 years, the Department has failed to provide safe drinking water to the public perennially nor it has come out any thorough plan to curb the issue.

Most households in the State used to depend on ponds, lakes, and major rivers in the State some decades back but dependency on PHED has increased with the rapid rise in population and rivers and other water sources getting polluted, it said.

The State Government has planned 100 percent tap water connections by 2022 under Jal Jeevan Mission, but looking at the current scenario and the activities of PHED, the State is likely to take another 100 years to achieve the target.

As such, PHED must come out with a concrete plan to ensure tap water to all in need and help in realising the goal of 'Har Ghar Jal - Water to every household' as envisioned by the Modi led NDA Government in 2019 .

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