Imphal, December 02: After almost 20 years of laying in the cold due to dispute over territorial and water rights with a neighbouring village of Nagaland and other unforeseen factors, the Laii Water Supply Scheme has been finally rehabilitated and dedicated to the people of Laii Khullen village yesterday.

The inaugural and dedication ceremony of the rehabilitated Laii Water Supply Scheme was held at Laii Khullen village yesterday with PHE and Information Minister TN Haokip as chief guest and MLAs of 48-Mao A/C RK Thekho and 45-Chingai A/C A Aza as president and guest of honour respectively.

Previous effort made in the year 1988 to provide drinking water to Laii village with Vaori, a perennial hill spring as the source of the Water Supply scheme came to a sad end due territorial and water rights disputes between Laii village and an adjacent village.

The effort was renewed again in 1996 but it could not be materialised due to unanticipated quantity of pies needed, cost escalation of pipes and restricted availability of funds.

However, with released of an additional fund of Rs 56 lakhs under the Prime Minister Gramin Yojana scheme, the water supply scheme has been rehabilitated and inaugurated by the PHE Minister after which it was dedicated to the people with signing of an agreement with Laii Village Authority.

Laii (khullen) is a village in Paomata sub-division of Senapati district and falls under 48-Mao (ST) constituency Speaking on the occasion, TN Haokip appreciated the villagers for protecting the territory of Laii village.

Taking sympathetic note of the memorandum submitted by the Village Authority, TN Haokip said demand for setting up a civil administrative unit in the village is essential and the local MLA RK Thekho should be re-elected once again so that the same would be implemented.

The main feature of the rehabilitated water supply scheme is the emphasis on tapping the water directly from the source, Vaoria hill spring by laying of the 14.50 km long pipeline and connecting it with a composite treatment units of settling tank cum service reservoir.

Envisaged to equip with altogether three treatment units, the water supply scheme expected to cater to the need of providing safe drinking water to 9493 population by 2016.A day ahead of the inaugural of the rehabilitated water supply scheme, PHE Minister accompanied by the two MLAs and other officials of PHED also inspected the progress of the construction being taken up for providing drinking water at two places in Senapati district headquarters with funding under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) and similar projects being taken up at Maram centre and Mao.

Comment