From Our Correspondent
TURA: In response to the demand for an apology from the Parliamentary Secretary for PHE, Noverfield R Marak and also the 7 days ultimatum served to the Government by JAC Williamnagar to stop construction of a dam across the Daribok stream meant for Tura, the Parliamentary Secretary justified his statement by saying that before initiating the project, the department officials had consulted the concerned Nokma and had already reached an agreement.
Noverfield R Marak said, the proposal of the project was initially submitted in the year 2005 and after some rectification and recasting the project it was finally sanctioned in October, 2008.
The Parliamentary Secretary explained that the discharge of the stream ‘Daribok’ as measured and projected in the DPR was 399 litres/sec which amount to 34473.60 KLD whereas as per design the quantity of water required per day for Tura Town water supply is only 23426.40 KLD.
He said, it is evident from the calculation that excess water that is the overall total discharge of the stream per day (34473.60 KLD) minus the total quantity of water required per day for Tura Town (23426.40 KLD) equals to 11047.20 KLD which comes to a total of 11047200 lit/sec will continue to overflow the proposed dam and meet with the Simsang river which is still untouched.
In addition to that, the Parliamentary Secretary said there are as many as big streams like the Mandal Chiring and other tributaries meeting with the same Simsang River upto Williamnagar town and the discharge of Mandal Chiring as surveyed by the PHE Officers is much more than that of Daribok stream.
“The water reservoir formed naturally start from Rombagre onwards upto downwards turning into a major river from Chisobibra area which will never be affected by only drawing quantum of water supply” he said.
Marak also said that before initiating the project, the department officials had consulted the concerned ‘Nokma’ of Mandalgre in connection with tapping Daribok stream for Tura and accordingly the Nokma had reached an agreement with the PHE department on the condition that in return separate water supply scheme will be arranged for Mandalgre villages and adjoining areas, although it fall under Williamnagar Division.
The Parliamentary Secretary asserted that the copy of the arrangement signed between the two parties is available in PHE Office, Tura for confirmation and there is no objection from any other so called Nokmas/villagers during that time.
“The question of misleading Nokmas or villagers does not arise” he stated.
Further, saying that Meghalaya PHE Department is fully dependent on natural streams or sources for arrangement of water supply to towns and rural villages, Marak also said if this issue of objection to tapping of the stream for water supply to other region or district is not resolved amicably, it is going to create a bad precedence and a feeling of regionalism.