MINISTER PHED INAUGURATES RS 19.67 CRORE RUPACHERRA PIPED WATER SUPPLY SCHEME IN HAILAKANDI

Minister for Public Health Engineering Department, Rihon Daimari today inaugurated the Integrated Rupcherra Multi-Village Piped Water Supply Scheme worth over Rs.19.67 crore in Hailakandi district today.

Inaugurating the scheme at a function at Rupcherra, a nondescript village, Minister Daimari said through the scheme, beginning today, people of seven tea gardens and adjoining areas would get safe and piped drinking water.  Altogether 23,000 families covering 44 habitations would get drinking water through taps in their households. Besides people will get drinking water from 80 street hydrants installed under the scheme.

With an intake capacity of 3.00 MLD, the scheme that draws water from Katakhal river, covers Rupacherra, Vernapur, Lalamukh, Lalacherra, Jugicherra, Sonacherra and Dholai areas.

Daimari called upon the tea garden workers, the rural people, the tea garden management and the administration for constitution of an efficient and competent user’s committee for making the scheme sustainable. “The Government has executed the scheme for you and the onus lies on you to render the scheme viable and sustainable. If you do not do so, the scheme won’t last and will become defunct,” he added.

The Minister said he would hold discussions with the managers and owners of the tea gardens to render all possible support to make the scheme sustainable as the scheme would mostly benefit the plantation workers. "We will hand over the scheme to the tea garden management and the responsibility will be on them to run the water supply scheme” he said.

Daimari called upon the PHED engineers to ensure quality of the drinking water being supplied through the 68.40 km long pipe line network.  Daimari also asked the engineers to maintain proper cleanliness in and around the water storage tanks and stand posts.

The Minister said the government is focusing on providing improved water supply and quality besides reaching out to new areas through water pipelines. Daimari also said that the government has taken up ambitious plans for reviving defunct drinking water supply schemes for which it has allocated funds in this year’s budget for revival of at least six defunct water supply schemes in each constituency.

Daimari also appealed to the people to maintain cleanliness for a healthy and vigorous life devoid of diseases by not defecating in the open. He said the present State and Central Governments have been working relentlessly to ensure an Open Defecation Free state and country through the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by October 2019, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.  He pointed out that the State Government has given incentives and award to the best clean village and exuded optimism that Hailakandi would soon become an ODF district. Four districts of Assam have been declared ODF so far.

The Minister pointed out that the left out households that did not figure in the baseline survey in 2012 would also get individual household latrines. Daimari disclosed that Rs 4 crore has been sanctioned for Hailakandi district for restoration of the defunct toilets under the earlier Total Sanitation Campaign. “Assistance amounting to Rs.10,000 will be provided to each family for restoration of defunct toilet and the amount would be transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ accounts,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Environment and Forest, Parimal Suklabaidya said that a long felt need of the plantation workers of seven tea estates and adjoining areas has been fulfilled following the commissioning of the piped water supply scheme. He also appealed to the people to make judicious use of water and to contribute their might to make the water supply scheme sustainable.

Former Minister Gautam Roy said he was elated that the project that began during his tenure as Minister PHED in 2012 has been completed today. He made a plea to the PHED Minister for completion of two water supply schemes at Bakrihower and Boalipar in Hailakandi district.

MLAs Anowar Hussain Laskar, Suzamuddin Laskar and Amar Chand Jain, SP, Mohneesh Mishra, District Development Commissioner, FR Laskar, Secretary, PHED, Biren Bhattacharjee, prominent citizen, Bijoy Singh and Manager, Rupacherra tea garden, Amithabha Jha also spoke on the occasion. MLA Emmanuel Mosahary and Superintending Engineer, PHE, Hailakandi Division, Nuruzzaman Choudhury were present at the inaugural function.

Earlier, Executive Engineer, PHE, Hailakandi Division, explained the objective of the meeting. The inaugural function was presided over by Deputy Commissioner, Hailakandi, Adil Khan.