By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The residents of the city are not only hit by a scarcity of LPG cylinders but they are experiencing, of late, a sudden drop in water supply.
Though this cannot be termed as a complete scarcity as of now but the reduced availability of water throughout the Stat has been a matter of concern for the residents of the State.
With Bishnupur and Kench’s Trace experiencing scarce water supply just before the Durga Puja festival, complaints roll in this time from Harisabha, Laitumkhrah and parts of Mawlai where residents have alerted a drop in the supply of water.
“Water supply normally goes scarce during the winter months but it seems that the supply has shortened somewhat early this year,” said Barilin Japang, a resident of Mawlai Umjaiur.
The people face undue sufferings due to water scarcity in areas like Mawbhah and Mawprem among others.
A tenant from Harisabha, Bindu Rajak said that water supply has gone down since the festive season. “I am scared at the sight of this drop in supply since this area is one of the worst when it comes to scarce water supply,” she said recalling how she had to depend on water carriers last year.
She is echoed by another resident of the area who expressed her surprise over this limited supply. “I would like to ask the authority and our MLA as to why the Borewell that was dugout near the water tank in Harisabha is left unused when it can meet the water requirements in this area,” she said.
The sight of water cans on ball bearing carts run by water carriers is common in Laitumkhrah, which is another locality known for its notoriety in terms of scarce water supply.
According to residents near St Edmund’s College (near the college hostel) they have to depend on these water carriers heavily in the winter months. “I don’t know why government supply has taken a dip so early this time,” said Altina K who has rented her house to students.
Another common sight in Laitumkhrah, which has grown more into a mismanaged urban jungle full of concrete structures, is that due to scarce supply in water many houses have gone for their private borewell.
“I have suffered a humiliation to get proper water supply from the authority. But then I decided borewell is the only solution left in Laitumkhrah where everything is available except water,” said this resident of Ramakrishna Mission road.
Sensing scarcity, residents have now resorted to water management. In New Colony and Laban, the way residents recycle water can be a subject matter of liquid waste management for students as well as those organization who are into sustainable management.
In these areas it has been seen that the housewives guides their domestic help to reuse the water that has been generated after washing clothes in cleaning the home front and back besides the staircases.
The situation is grim even in Mawbhah and Mawprem areas as people have complained of water scarcity in their localities.
When contacted, an official from the PHE said that the department only supplies the water to Shillong Municipal Board in bulk and SMB should inform the department if there is any water scarcity in any areas or localities of the town.