Acute water scarcity fear looms over Ukhrul; MLA Ram Muivah urges CM Biren for urgent intervention

Ukhrul: With Ukhrul headquarters at the brink of acute water scarcity, including drinking water, the MLA of Ukhrul district, Ram Muivah has written a letter to chief minister N Biren Singh for urgent intervention.

In his letter dated February 5, 2023, Ram stated that the source of water from Shirui mountain (Shinguira river and Khokthi Kongrei) has depleted drastically. “Almost the entire population of Ukhrul and Hundung are going through harrowing experience without potable water,” Ram wrote.

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The letter particularly pointed out the absence of manpower in Ukhrul PHED department where he wrote that out of the 13 Water Supply Linemen who regularly inspect and maintain water pipelines from the source in Shirui to Ukhrul headquarters, about 20-30 km, including distribution lines, 11 of them have superannuated. At present, only two linemen are manning 30 km of water supply maintenance, Ram wrote.   

The Ukhrul A/c MLA in his letter placed four emergency measures to mitigate the water crisis situation.

1. Immediate deployment of 5 water tankers in Ukhrul district headquarters.
2. Sanction some emergency fund from any suitable source including Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Special Development Fund (SDF), etc.
3. Engage at least 10 linemen to monitor and maintain the water pipeline including daily inspection of the intake points.
4. As a long term measure, the Preliminary Project Report on Kongva Drinking Water Supply & Hydroelectric Project prepared by Water Resources Dept, govt. of Manipur may kindly be cleared for submission to the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI for Externally Aided Project.

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Ram Muivah also wrote in his letter to CM N Biren Singh how the natural spring water source is depleting as a result of rise in rapid population in the district. “I have received desperate calls from people of Ukhrul and Hundung to do something to rescue the situation,” Ram wrote. He also underlined a possibility of epidemic under the current water crisis, especially the absence of potable water.

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