GUWAHATI, Nov 28 � The winter season brings with it untold miseries for the people residing in the hilly localities of the Guwahati city in the form of acute water crisis. As due to the lack of rainfall, natural sources of water like streams etc., get depleted, most of the families have to fetch drinking water from plain areas.
Like every year, this year too, people living in the hilly localities of Dhirenpara are carrying water in containers from the plain areas every day. As these areas are not covered by any of the water supply schemes, every winter, people of surrounding hilly locations have to endure this arduous task to carry out their household chores.
�With the arrival of winter season, crisis of potable water is again hitting hard the people of the hilly localities of the city fringes, including ours, as we are still dependant on the natural source of water,� Girin Saud, a resident of the area complained.
�Throughout the first half of the day, my family collects water from the houses of our relatives living in the plain areas. My husband and elder daughter help me in this work,� Aikon Deka, a resident of the area mentioned.
Every year, the people of Dhirenpara, Lakhara, Gorhchuk and other adjacent areas submit their memorandums to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation and GMDA and organize meetings protesting the government apathy but nothing has been done to address their problem.
Similarly, in Gorchuk and Lakhara areas also, people have to buy water from private water supplying agencies during the winter season. �During summers, the streams in the hilly localities have enough water to cater to the needs of our locality. But during winter season either we buy water or we bring it from the plain areas,� Ramen Nath, a local of the area said.
�We have given many memorandums to the State government and the Guwahati Development Department (GDD) on this issue but nothing has been done till date. Since our area is not covered under any water supply scheme, we face immense difficulties during the winter season,� he added.
