Assam: Defunct PHE water supply system force villagers to drink contaminated water in Hailakandi

The government is spending crores of rupees on clean drinking water but hundreds of people in the area of Kundanala village in Hailakandi district are struggling for clean and safe drinking water. 

The residents of this particular village have been struggling for clean drinking water for a long time. 

Even after 75 long years of India's Independence, hundreds of people in the area are now dependent on water sources like contaminated drains, streams, wells and canals for their drinking. 

It is a matter of great concern that in 2014, a Public Health Engineering (PHE) water supply system was erected to supply drinking water to the people of Kundanala village. 

Sadly, the water supply project failed tremendously and couldn’t supply water as envisioned. In this context, the locals have even tried to raise their issue with the local administration, but couldn’t as all complaints fell on deaf ears.

As a result, the residents of Kundanala village have been forced to drink the unhygienic, muddied water of the drains passing through the area.

“The PHE was inaugurated in the year 2014 for the supply of clean drinking water. But after one year since its installation, the PHER has remained defunct and unable to provide water in this remote hilly area. Now, the residents of this remote village are forced to drink water from ponds, and small streams and spending a difficult life due to the scarcity of safe drinking water. We have seen that MLA Sushmuddin Lashkar has shown himself engaging in multifarious tasks with regards to development but no action taken on the defunct PHE water supply system. Few days ago Cabinet Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah visited Hailakandi and announced that per person will be receiving 55 liters of water every day. But it has been observed that in Kundanala village and almost 70 percent of the area under Hailakandi district are unable to receive the benefits of the PHE water supply system as they are defunct,” said a local while raising his issues in front of the reporters.

In a similar incident, on October 19, the villagers along the Dhubri-Kokrajhar border dig pits and consume the contaminated water while carrying the same back to their homes to be consumed by their family members.

Queuing up to the pits, men, women children alike, start collecting water in whatever utensils they bring with them, quenching their thirst and carrying them to their homes for household chores as well. 

At a time when the government is spending crores of rupees in the name of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, these villagers are struggling to fetch a drop of clean drinking water. 

The villagers have appealed to the government to ensure that this particular village gets access to drinking water at the earliest.