Japanese experts in town to help water supply scheme
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 22 2014: Japanese experts made power point presentations at the stake holders' meeting for Integrated Water Supply Project for Imphal Planning Area at Hotel Imphal today.

The project is sponsored by Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) .

JICA Study Team expert Kikuo Matsushima made his presentation on the topic, 'Water meter and supplying pipe connection', while Kotaro Kikuchi spoke on the topic, 'Imposition of water tariff and its benefits' .

Another Japanese expert Kenji Takayangi also spoke at the meeting on the topic, 'Environment impact and mitigation measures' .

Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Chief Engineer H Sunil said that all the 19 water supply and treatment plants of Imphal area were set up between 1960 and 1990 .

He said that efficiency of these plants have decreased greatly with time taking its toll.

As renovation of these plants would help little in restoring normal efficiency, experts have observed that construction of new plants would be the better option, he added.

The Japanese experts from JICA at Hotel Imphal

Thoubal dam would feed around 45 mld of water to the water supply plants of Imphal area once the project is commissioned, he said and added that this additional supply of water from Thoubal project would enhance the stock of Imphal areas to 145 mld.

By 2021, Imphal area would be able to get rid of all water scarcity woes as Imphal plants would easily get the water requirement projected at 144 mld from different sources, Sunil said.

He added that the total cost of Imphal Water Supply Improvement Project is Rs 1300 crore, which is four times greater than the total annual budget of the State.

Considering the involvement of a huge amount in the project, it would be taken up in three different phases, Sunil added.

He said that the 1st phase of the project would commence within one-two months and the required cost of Rs 21 crore for the said phase has already been earmarked.

Saying that e-tendering for the selection of work agency has already been done, the Chief Engineer said that the 1st phase would complete within one-and-a-half year.

He added that the 2nd phase would cost around Rs 320 crore, for which a DPR had already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

Stating that the 3rd phase is a JICA project, Sunil said that the State Government has been seeking the project from the Japanese agency since 1998 .

Although it was delayed for many years due to the law and order problem, a JICA team has been surveying the feasibility of the project since the past one year in the State.

A final DPR would be prepared once the survey is completed, he said and added that an MoU is likely to be inked with the Japanese agency by 2015 if everything goes well.

People would not face any water problem after the completion of the project in 2020, he added.