Drinking water crisis hits Imphal hard
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 19 2011: With most of the ponds filled up to reclaim land and put up for sale or for usage as construction sites, residents of Imphal are currently gripped with serious problem of drinking water shortage following complete cease in water supply to protest killing of a PHED caretaker and his young son some days back.

Denouncing the slaying of Irilbung water supply scheme chowkidar (care-taker) Soram Ibomcha and his 22-year old son Yaipu by the armed KCP-MTF (kesho Meitei) for defying its monetary demand reportedly served to Public Health Engineering Department, employees union of the Department had declared that supply of drinking water would remain suspended.

Consequently taking the extreme step from the evening of December 16, the day when bodies of the slain father and son were recovered from a hill range under Yairipok police station, both domestic connection and public hydel taps had been running dry for the last few days.

Procuring water by mobile tankers from PHED-run reservoirs has also come under the ambit of the striking employees.

It is informed that union members have collected numerous levers used to open or close pipes supplying treated water from the reservoirs.

The water shortage crisis is so severe that matches of an ongoing hockey tournament have been put off as supply of water to the Khuman Lampak Hockey stadium has ceased completely.

The artificial turf requires sufficient soaking without which the playing surface is unplayable.

with the earlier practice of relying on pond water, for atleast washing and non-consumption purposes no more the norm due to filling up of most ponds in the city areas, residents of Imphal are forced to purchase water at exorbitant rates.

While untreated water from rivers fetches the suppliers handsome daily amount, price of potable water from the privately-owned Chingarel water scheme, one of the few functioning drinking water source, is informed to have more than doubled.

Compared to Rs 700 for a water tanker of 10,000 litres capacity, the current rate is in the range of Rs 1500 while tankers that cost Rs 400 and Rs 200 have escalated to Rs 900 and Rs 400-450 respectively.

The dry weather has added to the woes of those localities where there are no public ponds.

For the lucky few who still have ponds of their own, washing clothes is said to be in a very limited manner.

Moreover, rapid depletion of water level of some rivers, particularly Imphal and Iril rivers, is also a worrisome factor for the residents of Imphal.

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