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| Ibobi Singh |
Imphal, May 21 : Manipur has two perennial problems — acute shortage of power and water supply. The situation is worse during lean seasons.
Interestingly, the Okram Ibobi Singh government has decided to solve one of the two problems for the time being — scarcity of tap water, that too using power supply.
“We have chalked out a plan to improve the water supply at least in the urban areas by giving direct power supply,” Ibobi Singh announced while inaugurating a water supply scheme at Canchipur in Imphal West today.
The scheme taken up at a cost of Rs 763.55 lakh in 2003 with funds from the non-lapsable central pool of resources could not supply water because of scarcity of power.
Ibobi Singh inaugurated the scheme promising “uninterrupted dedicated power supply” to the scheme for uninterrupted supply of water.
The newly opened scheme will provide drinking water to at least 50,000 people in six villages in the southern portion of the greater Imphal areas.
Manipur does not have its own power generation. It depends on power bought from central sector power plants. At present the state’s requirement during peak hours is about 280mw but it could procure only about 100mw.
Power department sources said because of non-payment of power bills by the consumers the department could not meet the need.
The consumers are currently having only four to five hours of power supply daily for the past several months.
The situation is worst with water supply, with the schemes falling apart because of shortage of power.
“Maintenance cost is very high if we use generators for the schemes. So the only remaining option left with us is providing dedicated power supply for the schemes,” Ibobi Singh said.
The scheme opened today would give uninterrupted water supply, facilitated by uninterrupted power supply.
Power department sources said the department was working on the exact requirements of power for the major water supply schemes located in the district headquarters.
“We are working on the exact requirements for uninterrupted supply to the water supply scheme sites. It will have direct supply lines to the sites,” a senior engineer in the department said.
Ibobi Singh also instructed ministers and MLAs not to give undue pressure on the power department to give contracts or supply awards to individuals who could not complete the work on time.
“It is because of awarding works to undeserving contractors and suppliers that the works could not complete on time. So all the engineering departments should select the best contractors and suppliers. On the other hand, no ministers or MLAs should put pressure on the departments for work on behalf of contractors close to them,” Ibobi Singh said.