Shillong, Mar 14: The Sordar of Massar village, East Khasi Hills district, Teiborlang Wankhar has appreciated the recent honour his village received at the national Jal Mahotsav.
“He said that the JJM Scheme has been a blessing to the residents, where every household are now receiving tap water 24×7,” Wankhar said.
He said that the honour received by Massar and other villages of the state is an example set, that there is an opportunity for others to win accolades.
Wankhar thanked the Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) who is responsible to ensure the JJM scheme’s implementation is smooth.
He also said that another awarded village, Nongsohpian, used convergence of the MGNGREA scheme (since changed) to build a water tank under the JJM Scheme.
The traditional said that before the JJM Scheme was implemented in Massar village, the residents were not very sure about its success stating that they were apprehensive that only taps will be given to them without water.
“They asked how you can ensure water supply to each household when with whatever six-seven platforms we have in the village we cannot fill,” Wankhar said.
He said that the JJM Scheme’s success lies with the villagers who ensure that the pipes are well maintained and water is not wasted.
On preservation of water sources, Wankhar said that there are challenges but he hoped that these can be conserved with villagers planting trees around them.
Meanwhile, Elitamary Lyngdoh of Jashiar village, South West Khasi Hills district, who was rewarded for their excellence in using field testing kits (FTKs) to safeguard community health, said that water is tested once in three months.
“Our job is to see whether the water being provided is suitable to be used in schools or anganwadi centres,” Lyngdoh said. She said that she had to undergo training to test the water samples.
Lyngdoh said that the work she is doing is voluntary even as she urged the stakeholders to take up ownership since water is a necessity.
Moreover, Chief Engineer, PHE, Robert Singh Nongbri said that the department had a difficult time identifying the villages since there are many parameters which they had to fulfill to be eligible for the awards.
According to Nongbri, there are about 20 parameters, like testing water and the report has to be uploaded in the system and pictures of water tanks being cleaned has to be sent to the office.
The Chief Engineer the villagers for working voluntarily even as he added that the department is looking for ways and means so that they can get some incentives for the benefit of the villages.
Eleven representatives from Meghalaya were recently honoured at the national Jal Mahotsav in New Delhi for exemplary contributions to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
In the category of 24×7 rural water supply excellence, Massar village in Pynursla block took the top honours, followed by Nongdewsaw in Ranikor block and Pahamjri in Umling block.
Nongsohpian, Jendragre and Tynriang villages were recognised for their efficient user charge collection systems.
Spiland Jyrwa of Pyndendiwah and Aikolos Ramri of Umsaw were conferred with the Distinguished Headman Award for their visionary management of piped water supply systems.
Furthermore, the critical area of water quality monitoring saw Elitamary Lyngdoh and Memorialda Syiem being rewarded for their excellence in using field testing kits (FTKs) to safeguard community health.
