MANGALDAI, Dec 9 - The reported massive increase in Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) of the water level of the Brahmaputra at Upper Kuruwa village under Sipajhar Revenue Circle in Darrang district has resulted in scarcity of drinking water in the area since the last more than ten days. According to the local people, the pipe water supply scheme of the State Public Health Engineering Department built at an estimated cost of around Rs 80 lakh some 4/5 years back became defunct around ten days ago. But to the utter surprise of the nearly 500 families of the riverine village, the water level of the river Brahmaputra turned dirty, cement grey in colour creating deep concern.
This was quite unprecedented for the people of the village as they had grown up along the mighty river, using its water for their everyday needs but they had never experienced the water looked so dirty in colour. �We have grown up along the banks of the Brahmaputra, but never seen its water level turning dirty cement grey in colour,� said an amazing local youth Rajib Das. Having no other alternative sources of water, the villagers dug holes on the sandy river bank and later collected the water so deposited for drinking. Meanwhile, the PHE Department has supplied some drinking water for the residents which is too meagre to cater to their needs, a few local persons alleged.
On being contacted over the matter Manabendra Dhar, the Executive Engineer of PHE Mangaldai Division said that the rapid rise of the NTU level to nearly 300 led to the local water supply scheme turning defunct as it did not have the technical ability to remove the high density of NTU level from the river water. He assured to urgently arrange a deep tubewell scheme to address the crisis at a temporary level. He also claimed to supply around 16,000 litres of potable water to the villagers till Friday.
