Tura, September 20: The Garo Student Union (GSU) today had sent the memorandum to the parliamentary Secretary Shri Noverfield R. Marak, incharge Public Health Engineering complaining about the non-functioning of water supply at Chokpot.
The memorandum of the GSU, that was sent to the government through the parliamentary Secretary run as follow, In cohesion with the matter stated the GSU would like to bring to your knowledge the absence of water supply to the citizens of Chokpot for almost two years since March-April 2014. The mission statement and the pledge of the PHED to provide adequate water supply in Urban and Rural areas is being violated. GSU toured Chokpot and found out several discrepancies in the functioning of the govt departments in Chokpot.
Public Health Engineering Dept. is responsible for providing adequate safe water supply in rural & urban areas of the state. In Chokpot Sub-Division, South Garo Hills, the PHE (Water) is not fulfilling its mission where as stated earlier the citizen have not had drinkable tap water supply for more than two years. In a meeting at Chokpotgre, this particular grievance was brought to our notice. Complaints have been made to the department but the escapist answer was given that there were no funds to maintain or repair the existing worn out steel water pipes. It grieves us that basic amenity like water supply was not made available to the people of the sub-division. One can only wonder why the reining MLAs and MDCs of the constituency past or present have not brought this to the notice of the government or what they are doing about it.
Crores of rupees are sanctioned for water supply and funded under NLCPR, funded by DONER, Centrally sponsored Accelerated Urban Water Supply Program, Prime Minister’s Gramadoya Yojana (PMGY)/ Bharat Nirman Programme (earlier,Minimum Needs Programme). The PHE at Chokpot just needed to maintain the pipelines to secure the supply of water to the people. It is reported that the department collects revenue of Rs. 300/- per annum from each house hold or Rs. 10/- per point and despite the fact that there was no water supply by the PHE the revenue was collected in 2014 till 2015. It is reported that in 2016 the water tax of the PHE is yet to be collected.
In a region, where an official population figure of Chokpot is 42,772, the Detail Project Report on IWMP-V/ Integrated Watershed Management Programme 2011-2012 by Baghmara Soil& Water Conservation Cash Crop Division, SGH, Meghalaya 2.1.5 section of the report says”Water Supply: No drinking water supply system has been provided by the PHE Dept., The entire population has to depend on springs available in the area to meet daily requirement”. This certainly is a contradictory report because before April 2014 there was water supply system by the PHED which suddenly went non-functional after that. But the BDO, Police Dept and some other Govt departments seem to have a water connection it’s only the people who for two years have no water supply from the PHE Dept. Just what is going on is anybody’s guess where reports say no water supply system by PHE in Chokpot when there is a water supply system which is not being maintained or repaired for any number of reasons.
The people of Chokpot deserves a clean drinking/potable water supply and it is also reported that Baghmara , the Capital of South Garo Hills, also do not have a water treatment facility because reports pour in that during rainy days tap water is not clean. From health perspective, this is dangerous because an epidemic could easily occur or become susceptible to endemic occurrences. It is high time the Chokpot Sub-Division receive basic amenities due to its status. It is time for the local MLAs and the MDCs to strive for the betterment of its people or at least for the people of their constituencies.
The people have themselves taken the initiative upon them to repair the water pipe lines to try to get water supply.We urge the authorities concerned that potable water supply is immediately restored to the citizens of Chokpot and the matter is not dally-dallied for the general interest and benefit of all.
Hon’ble Sir, we urge you to consider the matter earnestly so that such basic amenities are ensured for the people of Chokpot. A Sub-Division deserves a PHE water supply and so for the benefit of the common people the PHE must immediately repair the broken pipes. The memorandum was sign by the president of the GSU Mr Tengsak G. MominPresident GSU CEC, Tura.
