Imphal, July 28: The PHE Department has identified some water resource bodies which can help in solving the water scarcity problem in the State.
PHED minister I Hemochandra stated this while clarifying on a cut motion raised by an opposition MLA on the failure to enact Water Security Act and to incorporate provisions for rain water harvesting and the failure to provide sufficient potable water in the State.
Hemochandra said that that the population of the valley which is around eight lakhs now might increase to 15 lakhs after 20 year.
There will be a big shortfall as we will need 101 million litres per day and we produce only 80 million litres daily, he added.
He further clarified that we received 146.7 cm of rainfall annually in the State and can consider it as plenty of water but a lack of policy still makes us suffer from water scarcity.
“The main reason of the scarcity is due to the Jhum cultivation deforestation. So, we need a multi-department conversion for the policy in the State,” said the PHED minister.
“We know for sure that the Water Security Act is very must needed in our State. But we don’t have enough funds as only Rs. 20 crore were earmarked during the budget allocation. We still need Rs 1,288 crores for overall repairing the old pipes and water supply scheme plans.”
The PHED minister described Leimaram waterfall, Waroiching, Arong River of Thoubal as some of the water bodies which can solve the water scarcity problem of the State.
He also stated that advance hand pump drilling machines helped in setting up tube wells for water supply augmentation in hills area during the last water scarcity problem.