KANGPOKPI, April 2: Finally! It has come. Thanks to the Almighty that my child could take a peaceful rest at home at least for someday.
An emotional poor farmer in Kangpokpi elatedly shouted when scanty showers wetted the hillside amidst increasing fear of drought at Kangpokpi yesterday.
Currently Kangpokpi and its adjoining area are facing a scare regarding the limited reserve of water in the area.
Most of the rivulets in the area have been waterless and even the Imphal River that flows within Kangpokpi witnessed the worse ever desiccation this year while the entire river fountain has been totally shrunken.
Denizens of Kangpokpi these days spend most of their time searching and fetching water to meet their basic daily needs just as in the valley.
Pondering over the water issue the Addl. DC Kangpokpi rung up the local media and inspected the Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme located at Toribari, about 3 Km from Kangpokpi PS with the local civil bodies including Kanggui Youth Union to take stock of the water level.
To the amazement of the MCS officer and his companion it was found that most of the water cubicle at the Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Kangpokpi has been completely shriveled while the floor of some water cubicle have already fissured.
The Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Kangpokpi had been constructed at a cost of Rs. 221.95 lakhs which was funded from NLCPR by Department of Development of North East Region, Govt. of India with a storage capacity of 0.433 ML to provide safe drinking water under the responsible department of PHED, Govt. of Manipur while it was inaugurated on November 2010 by the then PHE, IPR & Tourism Minister TN. Haokip in the presence of the then Hill Areas Committee, Manipur Chairman Thangminlen Kipgen and D.D. Thaisi, Minister, TD, Hills, Vety.& Animal Husbandry, Govt. of Manipur.
A visibly confounded Addl. DC immediately summoned the Chowkidar and other PHED employee and while probing them it came to light that deforestation of the catchment forest area of the Water Supply and the illegal waylaid of the water along the main line by some unknown persons has been account for the scanty water supply.
Speaking to the media persons, Addl. DC Kangpokpi DK Thangboi said that more than one solution is necessary in order to reduce or solve the issue of water scarcity that we stumble upon today before adding that the waiting period is over now and it`s time to put into action on the part of every section.
Stressing the importance of water the MCS officer lamented that without petroleum we cannot drive our cars, and perhaps we have to walk to school or work. This is not the case for water, as we are not dealing with simple inconveniences but with the issue of sustaining life itself.
`Water is our past, present and future. Without it, we cannot survive, and there are no alternatives`, added the Addl. DC Kangpokpi while drawing the attention to the role water plays in strengthening social, economic and environmental systems.
The Addl. DC continued that Manipur is “inching towards water scarcity” and the situation in several district including valley district are reportedly critical as water levels are depleting at an alarming rate which makesvulnerable to drinking water scarcity.
Talking particularly about the water crisis at Kangpokpi the MCS officer said that the water reservoir at Kangpokpi is in “chancy” condition and needs urgent action before suggesting that “Measurability, monitoring and implementation” are urgently needed to make water use sustainable in the area.
He also advocated that tough action will have to be made to illegal connection and to those who illegally waylaid water from the main supply line to business and other purposes.
If water situation goes on the current trends denizen of Kangpokpi and its adjoining area will definitely reel under indescribable circumstance after 10 years where the people will not able to take bath more than once a week that too wiping themselves with a wet cloth and also wipe their plates and hands after a meal instead of washing them envisaged DK. Thangboi.
The Addl. DC who have symptomatic of planting trees in the catchment forest area of Augmentation of Water Supply at Kangpokpi also warned that without reform the entire area in particular will be plunged into a water crisis that could be crippling for hot, dry state.
In the meantime, Hechon Singson, President Kanggui Youth Union while urging state Government and the concern authority to take immediate action for ensuring availability of water in view of depleting water condition.
Disappointingly the PHE Department, Kangpokpi prove to be too little helpful while they still remain a aloof watcher to the various inconvenience of the people due to water scarcity said KYU supremo while hinting the Department to prearranged mobile distribution of drinking water to the denizens of Kangpokpi and its adjoining area at the earliest.