Failing water supply scheme forces many to buy water

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 18 : The Nepra Menjor Water Supply Scheme has failed to serve its purpose, locals said today, urging authorities concerned to intervene and ensure adequate and regular water supply.
Inaugurated in 2014, the Nepra Menjor Water Supply Scheme mainly covers Sagolband and Patsoi areas. With the scheme failing to supply water regularly, people of more than 15 localities  are facing water shortage and are being forced to buy water, said Oinam Ratan, vice president of the Nepra Menjor Pukhri Mapal Youth Development Association.
Describing the sorry state of the water supply scheme, Ratan said that with no staff to man the scheme, the place has been filled with excreta of animals, dogs and cats causing serious hygienic concern.
Further, the installation of an electric transformer near the water storage, which overflows on occasions, has become a concern for safety.
Before the May 2023 conflict, the scheme got its water from Singda Kangchup. Now, it gets water from Chingkhei Ching (from June 2023). When the scheme does get water from Chingkhei Ching, with no staff to turn off the water, the water storage tank overflows flooding the area, Ratan said.
Excreta of dogs and cats that rest on the surface of the tank get mixed with the water whenever it overflows, he added.
For several months, the people of more than 15 localities have been facing water shortage. People often don't get the water supplied for more than a week, forcing them to buy water, Ratan said.
While the locals had submitted a representation to the Executive Engineer of the PHED Maintenance Division No 1 on August 27 last, the authorities concerned have not yet acted to address the grievances and improve the scheme, Ratan said.
On January 3, 2024, the locals had even reached an agreement with the PHED to send a permanent staff to man the scheme, he added.
While the locals near the scheme are sometimes overseeing it, the absence of proper staff would continue to fail the scheme and affect the people who depend on it for water, Ratan said.
The PHED and relevant authorities of the Government must send staff, repair the scheme and improve it to address the grievances of the people at the earliest, he added.