By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 22: Mylliem Congress legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh has exhorted the state government to complete the Upper Shillong Water Supply Project, which was sanctioned in 2012.
Moving a motion on the third day of the ongoing Budget session, Lyngdoh informed that people of Mylliem constituency, including villages in the lower parts of Upper Shillong, are faced with the problem of water scarcity.
Shedding light on the allocation of funds for the project, Lyngdoh said the total estimated cost of the Upper Shillong Water Supply Project is Rs 33 crore out of which 90 per cent of the funds was borne provided by DoNER Ministry as against state’s share of 10 per cent.
“The technical and financial sanction was accorded by the Ministry of DoNER on 23 December 2010,” the Congress Mylliem MLA said, informing that the project implementation was entrusted to the PHE department way back in 2012.
Stating that various reasons have contributed to the delay in the project completion, Lyngdoh said the project has been completed till Banium village in Mylliem.
He also informed the House that water reservoirs were constructed at Banium village and Hynriew Mer, Upper Shillong.
“The water was brought through the pipeline till the reservoir at Baniun in 2017. But sadly the water was yet to be supplied to the villages and is allowed to go on waste to the nearby area,” he said, informing that no work has been carried out since 2018.
The Congress MLA further revealed that tenders were invited for carrying out distribution networks and work was allotted to the contractors from 2017.
“But the department did not carry out any work despite repeated reminders on the part of the contractors, who were allotted with the work, to allow them to start the work,” Lyngdoh said, adding that it is an irresponsible act on the part of the department.
With regard to the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in the area, the Congress MLA observed that the currently available water sources will not be enough to meet the requirement of water and make the Centre’s flagship programme a success.
Meanwhile, UDP MLA from Nongpoh, Mayralborn Lyngdoh, has lauded the NPP-led government for ensuring that each and every household benefits from the JJM.
According to him, the state government has ensured that 18 villages under his constituency and four villages in Umsning constituency are covered under the JJM.