Shillong, Dec 15: For almost a week now, residents of Shillong are experiencing untold suffering due to the current water crisis in the city.
All parts of the city except Laban, Lumparing, Nongthymmai and Laitumkhrah have been left without water since December 10 due to bursting of the main water pipeline at 101 Area in Upper Shillong. The pipeline feeds water to the city from Mawphlang reservoir.
Although the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department had assured to complete the repair of the damaged pipeline by December 14, yet the repair work remained unfinished due to another breakdown of the pipeline.
Affected residents have been forced to buy water from private suppliers at inflated prices. For 1000 litre of water, people have to shell out Rs 700 to the suppliers.
While private water suppliers are having a field day, what made matter worse for the residents is that they have to wait for two or three days for the water tanker to bring water to their homes.
“We have to pre book the water tanker at least two or three days before in order to get the supply. We are suffering so bad,” a resident from Riatsamthiah said.
Another resident from Jaïaw said that private water suppliers are refusing the request for water supply as they are already overworked and could not cater to the rising demand.
Private water suppliers however said that the reason for the refusal is because they have to wait in long queues at water pumps in Mawlai and that they spend around two hours to get their tanker filled.
Many residents blamed the authorities for the repeated bursting of water pipelines from Mawphlang to Shillong.
“It seems like pipes of inferior quality are installed. This is pathetic. The common man is being made to suffer because of negligence and corruption,” an angry lady from Mawprem said.
Another resident from Jaïaw said that the ministers and bureaucrats are indifferent to the ongoing water crisis in Shillong.
“They have the money to buy water so they are not concerned at all. We poor people have to fend for ourselves and have to spend extra money to get water. What kind of discriminatory world are we living in today,” he said.
However, a senior PHE official said that efforts are on to restore water to the city as workers are dealing with the second bursting of the pipeline which had delayed the repair work.
Meanwhile, a latest statement issued by the Executive Engineer, Greater Shillong Water Supply (Division 1) stated that due to the emergency repair work, water supply to the city will remain suspended till December 16 and that every effort will be made to restore normal water supply.
