By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Chief Engineer PHE SK Sunn assured improvement of water quality in Mawlai.
In a letter addressed to the president, Mawlai Town Durbar, SD Khongwir, the PHE official said that the Department appreciated the concerns expressed by Mawlai Town Durbar on the deteriorating water quality of Umsohlang stream due to the discharge of
waste directly into the stream.
“The department is seriously considering the matter and is closely monitoring the
raw water quality as well as treated water quality on a day to day basis and will only continue to supply the water from the Scheme so long raw water could still be treated,” Sunn assured .
The department, however, sought the co-operation of Mawlai Town Durbar to inform the residents in the catchment of Umsohlang stream on the adverse effect of discharging waste directly into the Umsohlang stream.
Though protection of Umsohlang stream from pollution through discharge
of waste into the stream is outside the purview of PHE department, considering the pressing need to improve the water quality of Umsohlang stream, the department has proposed to divert the waste coming from Mawlai Umshyngiar through construction of a drain to convey the waste downstream of the tapping point of the scheme.
The work is proposed to be taken up soon in consultation with Mawlai Town Durbar, the official said.
The proposal is expected to improve the water quality but may reduce the flow of Umsohlang stream to some extent which may affect the quantity in the supply, he added.