Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 08 2008:
Along with initiating necessary measures towards solving the problem of shortage of drinking water supply in Imphal area with water from the Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Maphou Dam), the State Government has decided to replace the water pipe lines of the British era in a phase-wise manner.
Conveying this to The Sangai Express, an official source from the Public Health Engineering Department said the water from the project would be brought till Imphal through pipeline and the same will be supplied after proper treatment to the people to solve the problem of shortage of drinking water in Imphal area.
While informing that shortage of drinking water in Imphal area at present is around 40 million litre (MLD) per day while the quantity of drinking water supply currently being received is just 60 MLD per day, the source informed that though the installed capacity for providing the required drinking water has been already put in place, it is yet to be made operational.
As the project has provisions of supplying 45 MLD of drinking water every day, the State Government has included a scheme in the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission to solve the problem of shortage of drinking water in Imphal area, the source said.
To implement the scheme, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has already issued instructions to the IFCD and the PHED to take up necessary measures.
Consequently, the company responsible for construction of Maphou Dam has been entrusted to conduct a survey in connection with bringing the water of the project till Irilbung.
To begin work on the scheme from next year, the required fund would also be included in the Plan amount of the fiscal year 2009-10, the source said, adding that the scheme would supply drinking water to those localities in Imphal which are facing the problem of shortage of drinking water.
On the other hand, the State Government has decided to replace the old pipelines being used in Imphal area since British time in a phase-wise manner.
For this, new pipe lines have already been procured.
The pipelines which were held up at Dimapur Railway Station for a long time following monetary demand from some UG groups have been brought to Imphal by the Department after paying necessary charges to the Railways, the source informed.