From John K. Kaping
UKHRUL, March 16: In the backdrop of the present ‘draught hit situation in Ukhrul’ and acute shortages of safe drinking water in Ukhrul due to irregular water supply in the district, the Ukhrul Students, Union (HKL), in joint collaboration with the United Hunphun Phungcham Youth Front(UHPYF) and the Greenland Youth Organization(GYO) have submitted a deadline letter to the Ukhrul Public Health Engineering Department(PHED) today serving the letter to the concern Executive Engineer to facilitate safe drinking water to over 10 neglected or deprived localities on or before March 21 next failing which the bodies have warned to initiate necessary steps.
Among the affected the worst area would be the entire Northern Ukhrul localities from Greenland locality till down to Meizailung where pipeline laying and repairing works of the damaged water-pipes have failed to reach most of the interior parts, which are inhabited by thousands of people.
The people as such are facing immense hardships due to this draught hit season where every individual has to spend a whole night to fill a bucket full of water from the dried-up ponds and streams, stated a press communique of the organizations.
It has further stated that the district PHED office has also turned deaf and blind even after the student and youth bodies had approached them for a good number of times at various levels.
It has also added that during March 2011, 60 poor members had signed a memorandum an asked the office to provide one free public water point for safe drinking water which could be used by more than 40 houses that cannot afford private lines. The officials provided the line, however there has been water ever since, it added.
When reported or complained about it, the department has always verbally assured to look into the problem, but it has been like that for more than eight months now, it added.
It has further added that the bodies will now wait and watch for any positive response in action from the department before the stipulated time ends, and on failure on the part of the department, the bodies will take up democratic steps and even seek legal actions, the statement added.