Residence sits on water, family points finger at PHED
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 09 2018: In an instance of undermining clarion call of common people, grievance of a family whose residence is badly affected due to the leakage of water from a water supply tank built by PHED has been allegedly sidelined despite repeated pleas made.

Speaking to media persons, Moirangthem (O) Radhamani w/o (L) Pratikumar of Moirangthem Leikai near Moirang Bazar, Bishnupur district claimed that many of the family properties including rooms on the ground floor and outhouse have been damaged due to inundation at the residential premises.

She pointed out that the inundation was caused by the water leaking from the filtered water tank of PHED built beside the residence.

She said that the inundation has been prevailing since the last many years and the resultant effect is so worse that the inundated water usually reaches knee level and sometimes till waist level after hours of filling the water tank.

Residence sits on water, family points finger at PHED

The drainage system in and around the residential premises has lost its capability to drain out the accumulated water on account of failure on the part of Moirang Municipality Council and other authorities concerned, she rued.

She also regretted that the accumulated water gets standstill and the foul smell emanating from the water creates a very unhygienic environment for health.

Radhamani said that the outhouse is on the verge of collapse as the inundated water has spoiled its wooden pillars and walls.

The family who lives hand to mouth has been reeling under intense hardships in countering the adverse effect.

They were doing their best and finding every possible means to solve the problem, including pumping out of the accumulated water by engaging pumping machines for hours in a day.

However, the family can no longer afford the electricity charge/bill since the introduction of electric prepaid system in the State.

Radhamani even once suffered an electric shock while running the water pumping machine to drain out the inundated water.

Luckily she was saved by her youngest son.

Her son was conferred Child Bravery Award by the President of the country later on.

Her son was even hospitalized in critical condition in the emergency and trauma unit of Raj Medicity at North AOC few years back after he fell ill in the course of clearing the debris and other waste materials at the residential premises.

Given the circumstances, Radhamani has been complaining to the authorities concerned, including the officials of PHED many a times.

She even once approached the Chief Minister to hear her plea.

Even though the PHED officials repeatedly assured to look into the matter, no substantial step has been taken up to address the untold grievance encountered by the family, she lamented.

She contended that after the Chief Minister ordered to look into the matter in response to her complaint, the PHED officials ultimately replied in writing that the inundation at her residential premises is not related to the Department.

She then drew the attention of the State Government to intervene into the matter and ensure that the embarrassing situation being faced by the family would be resolved at the earliest.

According to Moirang Youth Development Club (MYDO) secretary Soraisam Bonson, the local club members were considering the grievance of the family and they are set to write to the authorities concerned.

He admitted that the inundation at Radhamani's residential premises was caused due to the alleged failure of PHED's water tank leakage and the drainage system in and around the premises of water supply tank and the residence.