By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL, March 21: In view of the present water scarcity faced by the Ukhrulites this dry season, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) of Ukhrul Division is taking steps to expand pipeline water supply so as to ameliorate the crisis in the town.
In this regard, the Executive Engineer, PHED Ukhrul, A Nikunja said that as part of its measures, the department is planning to extent water connection points to areas within the town where pipeline water service has not been availed yet .
“The gradual drying of water sources at the Shirui hills is causing the current water scarcity in the town.”
It maybe mentioned here that most traditional local water sources like ponds, ground springs in different localities here have begun to dry up.
Stating that currently there are 1040 number of water connections in the town, he said “every connection provides pipeline water to 4/5 house holds and thus our department is already giving water to almost half of the over 60 thousand population of the town.
“Still we are planning to cover other habitations where there is no pipeline water so that larger number of the populace could get pipeline water,” he further stated.
Expressing concern over the present situation, Nikunja says ” we normally supply water one time a day to households but during this dry season we schedule it on alternate day basis. ”
“Our present water reservoir capacity is 13.5 lakh litres and we are also planning to upgrade it, he added.