BISWANATH CHARIALI, July 23 � �Every household in Assam is expected to have round-the-clock supply of arsenic-free safe and clean drinking water by 2016. At present the water supply schemes are catering to less than 30 per cent of the population and that too for 1-2 hours a day. These schemes are being operated by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). Most of the treatment plants have outlived their design period. Efficiency is only 70 per cent and transmission loss is about 40 per cent. Therefore in order to provide affordable, safe and continuous (24 � 7) water supply to this flung tea estate area like Sopai, the State Government has taken up serious initiatives for 100 per cent coverage through house connections and community connection,� Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Gautam Roy said at a public meeting in Sopai near Dhekaijuli.
Inaugurating the Sopai-III Pipe Water Supply Scheme (PWSS), Roy further said that the Government had sought public cooperation for proper maintenance of the scheme. �The PWSS being laid in various parts of the State will continue for the next couple of years. We need the people�s cooperation to implement the scheme. We assure the people that if they face any incovenience they may contact the department officials and if they did not respond properly, the consumers and the concerned committee formed to supervise the scheme may contact me.� Roy inaugurated alltogether nine schemes in Dhekiajuli, Rangapara and Behali under Biswanath subdivision.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated the newly-constructed water supply schemes at Hahchora, Babbari and Morangaon, where local MLA Pallab Lochan Das was also present. The Adhakhonda, Bahbari and Morangaon projects were completed at a cost of Rs 41.03 lakh, 41.75 lakh and 49.63 lakh respectively. The minister also inaugurated Hahcora, Bherbheri and Adabari water supply schemes, which cost Rs 10.97 lakh, 63.53 lakh and 47.00 lakh respectively. The meeting was also attended by the local MLA and Deputy Speaker Bheemananda Tanti. Roy praised the engineers of the department and said the projects would greatly benefit the people of these areas.
