PHED takes noble initiative, begins supply of drinking water to four border villages
By Ronald Stone Syiem
LANGPIH: That the Meghalaya Public Health Engineering Department has begun providing water supply to four villages may seem an ordinary turn of event but when one considers the fact that the four villages fall under the disputed Langpih area in West Khasi Hills District, the department’s job becomes noteworthy.
The provision of drinking water to residents of Mawsikar, Umbyrsit, Nong Mawlein and Mawkhap under Langpih area can be turned nothing less than a ‘ray of hope’ for the villagers who have been eagerly waiting in anticipation for the Meghalaya government to assert its right over these areas by launching schemes for the development of the remote and backward area and to assuage the fears of the residents that the State government was genuinely interested in the welfare of its people who have been living under a shadow of doubt, being continuously ‘harassed’ by the Assam government.
The scheme was sanctioned in five villages including Mawsikar, Umbyrsit, Nongma, Nong Mawlein and Mawkhap under the Centrally-sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
Though the source of drinking water was quite far from the respective villages, the PHED put in extra efforts to ensure that the scarcity of water in that area was solved.
Supply of drinking water has already begun in Mawsikar, Umbyrsit, Nong Mawlein and Mawkhap while the process way underway in Nongma which will soon have drinking water supplied to its residents.
The attention paid to the area by the Meghalaya government has been received with admiration.
Piarsing Nongsiej, Sordar of Mawkhap village, informed The Shillong Times that for over 40 years after Statehood Langpih had remained neglected and water crisis had always been a major issue for the residents. “We are very happy now that people of the area don’t have to carry water over long distances. We thank the PHED Executive Engineer A. Lyngkhoi who has done a tremendous job in providing water supply for the people of the area,” Nongsiej said.
Despite the fact that the scheme was implemented in only five villages, local residents of the area exuded confident that their concerns would be similarly addressed by the Meghalaya government shortly.
Astolin Nonglang, headman of Umbyrsit, also expressed his appreciation to the PHED Nongstoin Division for providing them with drinking water and added that the PHED has set an example for other departments in the district to follow so that the needs of the border people are addressed with the right earnest.
“People of Langpih will now feel that they also have rights akin to other residents of the district and the State which was not the case in the past,” Nongland added.