SHILLONG, Sept 17: The opposition Congress in Meghalaya Assembly on Friday launched attack on the State Government and the PHE department over the supply of turbid water in the city for over two weeks now even as the state government asked citizens to bear with the department.
During the question hour, East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh brought a bottle of turbid water and showed it before the House.
” If we don’t die from Covid, we will surely die from Cholera,” she added.
In reply, the PHE Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said that the department had tested new pipeline of 1000 mm dia and since this pipeline has been laid long time ago and hence soil has gathered in the pipeline.
“Department is trying and we can’t leave these pipelines unused,” the Minister said while urging people to bear with the Government and the department will try again as bigger pipes are needed.
Ampareen Lyngdoh then showed another picture of a reservoir after commissioning of the gravity line of 100 mm dia pipeline to which the Minister replied that due to testing, water has gone to reservoir and then to individual houses.
“After the testing again we hope that water will be more clear, Tongkhar added.
Lyngdoh then showed another picture of Umkhen reservoir which used to supply water to areas like Nongthymmai, was washed away in the storm last year and the project is not functional
The Minister however replied that the project would be taken up shortly
Opposition Chief whip PT Sawkmie also inquired about the completion of the third phase of GSWSS, to which the Minister replied that the department has asked contractors to start the work and they are expecting that the work will begin within this working season
West Shillong MLA Mohendro Rapsang also lamented that the water supply in the city had been stopped after muddy water was supplied for over two weeks.
In the reply, the PHE Minister said that since turbid water was coming, the department decided to stop the supply of water.
Gambegre MLA Saleng Sangma also opined that the Minister should inspect the intake point of the water supply since even the reservoirs of the water supply has been supplied with muddy water.