SILCHAR, January 25: In a memorandum submitted to the Assistant Engineer, PHE, Lakhipur sub–division, on behalf of the joint committee of Hmar Students’ Association, Barak Valley, and Digar Village Council, it has been pointed that no water–supply point has been there at the Digar village for the last 7 years. The villagers have been complaining about the absence of water supply since then. Due to the lack of the facility, the villagers are compelled to fetch water from far–off places. Apart from this, villagers have been using unsafe water for drinking and cooking purposes. The results have been disastrous as water–borne diseases have been affecting them.
During the rainy season in particular when the water sources, natural and man–made, are polluted, their intake has led many people to fall sick being afflicted with the diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, malaria, jaundice and typhoid. The memorandum blamed the indifferent attitude of the Water Supply Department and its failure to install water–supply points in the vicinity of the village. Moreover, in the memorandum it has been mentioned that earlier there were only two water–supply points in the village from where water could be fetched. The villagers demand that at least five new water–supply points be installed to meet the growing demands due to the increasing number of house–holds. It has been expected that the authority concerned will take cognizance of the demand of the people and initiate immediate steps for installing safe drinking water points at strategic locations and save the people from being afflicted with diseases.
Despite repeated reminders and memoranda, it has been regretted by the Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) that the authorities have no concern and remain indifferent to the demand of people. HSA has warned unless the authorities take measures as demanded, it will not take things lying down and will be compelled to decide about a course of action that will shake up the sub divisional administration and even the highway to Manipur might be paralyzed. The Association has set the deadline of February 1 for the remedy of the grievances. Source: The Sentinel