Tura is currently in the grips of a virtual drought as most of the major sources of water have either dried up or are not in a position to provide water anymore.
According to information received, a review meeting between various stakeholders was held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Ram Singh, yesterday to discuss the various issues faced by the town in terms of drinking water.
Tura requires 25 million litres per day (mld) of water supply but the present dry season means that the town’s water sources are all almost dry. These are Rongkhon, Didare and Ganolsa, with only Edenbari providing water to the city.
Even with uninterrupted power supply, Tura was only receiving 14.6 mld. However, with load shedding a daily reality, there is a further water deficit of nearly 2.5 mld.
“We have spoken and requested the MeECL (Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd) to exempt Edenbari from load shedding. There are also various council lines and private lines which are continuously leaking and locals are requested to take care of leaking pipelines,” Singh said.
Worryingly, the catchment area of Tura Water Supply Scheme is getting drier every year.
The DC appealed for concerted efforts towards water conservation so that the town recovers from the current situation and water bodies continue to provide water.
