KHLIEHRIAT, April 17: In the shadow of government pipelines that promise relief but deliver none, over 2,000 residents across seven villages in East Jaintia Hills are living a daily contradiction—water infrastructure without water, hope without supply and survival at a cost many can barely afford.
In Moolamonoh, Moolang, Musniangkmai, Musniangrim, Rangad, Lumputhoi and Moonongtdu, water is no longer drawn—it is bought. Families spend thousands every week not just for drinking water but for basic needs like cooking, bathing and sanitation, placing an unbearable burden on already strained incomes.
“Three to four times a week, we spend between Rs 500 to Rs 700 per trip just for basic use. And this water isn’t even safe for drinking,” said president of the Seven Villages Committee, Kwen Shylla. “For drinking water, we have to spend another Rs 800 per trip. It affects the economy of the villagers, especially the poor,” Shylla added.
Despite pipelines laid under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the absence of a viable source has rendered the infrastructure ineffective, leaving taps dry and promises unfulfilled.
Amid growing distress, UDP MLA from Khliehriat constituency Kyrmen Shylla, along with PHE officials and village heads, undertook a trek on foot to a remote water source at Umkrem Rangad, several kilometres away. The visit, which also included GPS mapping of the area, marked an effort to identify a sustainable solution.
Officials described the source as potentially promising, though further scientific validation is required.
R Nongtdu of the PHE department said the absence of red sediment in the riverbed indicates that the water may not yet be impacted by mining activities. “The clarity of the water suggests that it is not contaminated, but we cannot be certain. We will have to conduct research and test the pH level to check whether it is safe to consume or not,” he said.
He added that the department will also need to assess the capacity of the source.
“We will have to conduct further studies and measurements to ascertain whether it can feed all the seven villages,” Nongtdu said.
Khliehriat MLA, meanwhile, assured that he would do everything within his capacity to address the crisis. He expressed concern over the hardships faced by the villagers and said efforts would be made to ensure that a solution is worked out.
Shylla also noted that the inspected source appears promising and expressed hope that it would meet the required norms for potable water. He said that once the PHE department completes testing and confirms its viability, the government would take up the matter under an appropriate scheme to provide water to the affected villages.
For villagers, the visit has rekindled cautious optimism.
“We are hopeful that this source will be able to feed us and under the leadership of our MLA Kyrmen Shylla, we hope the government will address our grievances,” said Kwen Shylla.
At the same time, villagers have pledged to protect the catchment area from any form of mining activity.
“The Waheh Chnong of all the seven villages will keep a watchful eye. For us, money comes and goes but water is life. If we lose this source, what is the use of having money?” he said.
The crisis here is not just about scarcity—it is about survival shaped by neglect, where every drop comes at a price and every promise is measured against years of waiting.
Until water flows through the pipes that already reach their homes, the people of these seven villages remain forced to pay for what should have been a basic right.
