Some relief for water starved Kohima

March 27, 2021 62 Views No Comment

Augmentation of water supply to Kohima town commissioned

Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 27

Bringing cheer to the citizens of the State capital Kohima, the much awaited augmentation of water supply to Kohima town was formally commissioned today by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

This project started in 2012, at an estimated cost of Rs. 46.73 crore is funded by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India with a 90:10 (lump sum) funding pattern.

Presently, this scheme will cover PR Hill, Chandmari, PWD and parts of the main town, consisting of about 3,000 consumers. The water is being pumped from the Zarü River.

It will cover more wards once the distribution system is improved and expanded, said Er. Repangyangba Longkumer, Chief Engineer and HoD, PHED Nagaland.

Er. Longkumer said this project is power supply dependant, for which feasibility of power back-up generators is being explored.

This scheme for augmentation of water supply to the state capital Kohima involves pumping of water from the Zarü river stream to a reservoir at Kigwema village through two stages of pumping.

The design capacity of the project is 3.80 million litres daily.

Nagaland PHED Minister, N Jacob Zhimomi described the commissioning of the augmentation of water supply scheme as a huge relief for the people of Kohima town. He assured that proper maintenance and operation will be done.

Pay water/electricity bills: Rio
Commissioning the project at the water treatment plant site in Mima village, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that despite all difficulties, the PHE department is working hard for the public to provide potable water. He asked the public to also extend full cooperation by paying back for the facilities they have received.

“Nagas have to change their habits and pay for the facilities they receive,” said Rio, while highlighting that the State Government has been facing huge losses in the power sector as consumers, including government servants do not pay their power bills.

The Chief Minister also stressed on the need to privatize the water and power sectors in the urban areas of the State so that private parties can introduce proper pre-paid metering system through which the government would also be able to generate some revenue.

Expressing that water is one of the most important components of life and it has become a precious commodity, he stressed on the need for proper maintenance of the source with proper cooperation and coordination between the two villages of Mima and Kezoma alongwith the Department of PHE as well as the Power Department.

Rio said that Kohima has been reeling under acute shortage of drinking water with continuous increase in the urban population. He noted that even the spring waters are drying up during the lean period which is leading to people facing hardship of buying drinking water from private carriers and packaged water.

The daily requirement of water supply in the state capital Kohima is 1.40 lakh litres, the CM informed.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/some-relief-for-water-starved-kohima