SHILLONG, March 26: VPP MLA from North Shillong constituency, which is bearing the brunt of a water crisis, Adelbert Nongrum on Tuesday sought the intervention of both Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar and PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak to combat the problem beleaguering his constituency for some time now.
In a letter to both the Deputy CM and PHE Minister, Nongrum said that the two concerned authorities — Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Shillong Municipal Board — should collectively work towards convergence since the two cannot work separately.
Stating that the people have been subject to undeserving problems, the North Shillong MLA made a clarion call to take a serious note of the vital matter.
According to Nongrum, some areas are facing acute shortage of water, while some areas have surplus water. He has questioned this disparity within the constituency.
The VPP MLA also suggested that both the PHE and SMB should visit ground zero to understand the exact problem. “…both the departments should collaborate sincerely, transparently and honestly with a genuine commitment to serve the people,” Nongrum said.
With his letter, the local MLA also enclosed a letter of the Riatsamthiah Dorbar Shnong which was addressed to him on the same issue.
In that letter, Rangbah Shnong of Riatsamthiah M Kharkrang said that the Riatsamthiah Women Social Welfare Organisation has written to the Dorbar to raise their concern about the acute shortage of potable water which has put them in a difficult spot.
“Both the PHE and SMB had come to resolve the problem but were unfortunately unable to do so. It may perhaps require an intervention at a higher level,” Kharkrang said in the letter.