Imphal, March 27: The JD(U) has alleged the Manipur government must be held responsible for the artificial water scarcity in state as this is a result of a lack of long term water policy, said Moiranthem Tombi President JD(U).
Addressing a press meet held at the office of the JD(U) Babupara, he said that even though the State has lots of water bodies like lakes, rivers, gorges etc and very wet monsoons, it is left to faced severe problem of water scarcity each year.
The main factor for this water scarcity is the lack of proper management and harvesting of rainwater in the State, he said.
The state has no long term policy of water harvesting, so the responsibility for all problem arising out of this must be borne by the State Government, he added.
When draught problem occurs in the State, people will also face water born diseases as a result of unplanned treatment of water a the Government facilities.
Further, he appealed to the seller and transporter of drinking water to be cautions as not to deliver unclean water from untreated sources.
The state government must now provide a water ration system to the people of Manipur regularly, he further said.
The state PHED has stopped the 24X7 water supply to people of Manipur and when the pipes are running people with water pumps switch them on to get the maximum, leaving little for those who do not possess pumps, he lamented.
It is very disheartening to learn that PHED run Singda Dam reservoir and treatment plant will not able to provide potable water from April 20, 2015, he said.
Meanwhile, Len Gangte, General Secretary said that draught problem is faced by the hill people much earlier than the valley people. Mismanagement of water policy is again the cause of this, he too said.
The hill people will face low yields of food grains in coming few months because of the negligence of the water problem by the IFCD and PHED departments, he charged.