From Our Correspondent
MAWKYRWAT, Dec 18: Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton L Tongkhar, on Thursday, said he was satisfied with the implementation of the Sakwang Combined Water Supply Scheme at Rilang River, 7 km from Mawkyrwat in South West Khasi Hills district.
He conducted a surprise inspection and found the scheme was functioning well and fulfilling the needs of the people.
The Sakwang scheme, which supplies drinking water to the Sakwang, Pyndensakwang, and Marshillong villages, was built under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) at a cost of ₹13 crore. The work started in 2024 and was completed earlier this year.
Speaking on the occasion, Tongkhar expressed happiness that his two-and-a-half-hour walk from Markhew in Jakrem village to Jashiar village in search of water sources for the Mawkyrwat Greater Water Supply Scheme (MGWSS) when he was the PHE Minister in 2020, has finally yielded results.
“Even though Rilang is not the source for the MGWSS, the Sakwang Combined Water Supply Scheme is now successful and benefitting the people of the three villages,” he said.
“I am very happy to get the information from the officials as well as the Myntri of Sakwang that we will have no problem with the water level, and that this project has started serving the people of Sakwang village during the annual meeting of the Khasi-Jaintia Presbyterian Synod at Sakwang Presbyterian Church in March this year,” Tongkhar said.
He, however, said the scheme has room for improvement.
The MLA said that he wants to see all the projects initiated by the government functioning fully. He promised to continue conducting surprise inspections to ensure that the projects function at all times, not just during inspections.
He also inspected the damaged footbridge over the Rilang River that connects Sakwang with other villages in the Shngimawlein area. Former MLA Bires Nongsiej initiated the construction of the footbridge 20 years ago.
Tongkhar promised to implement a scheme in 2026 for a new footbridge over Rilang to help farmers from Shngimawlein who come almost every day to the area for farming.
During the inspection, he was accompanied by the Myntris of the area and an official from the PHE department.
