Entrepreneurs chip in where Govt fails
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, April 29 2009: The conscious failure to provide adequate water supply to the second largest township in the state by the SPF government for the past one decade or so has facilitated many an entrepreneur the chance to capitalize on it, off shooting a thriving 'water business' in the township like never before.

For a locality of not more than 80,000 residents, a dilemma of this magnitude could very well send any conscious government scurryin g for cover, but that was not the case here.

'Let us hope that things will expedite with the appointment of a local EE,' PHE Minister TN Haokip vaguely said on the eve of Rahul Ganshi's public address here, when inquired about the initiative he had taken to address the crisis.

Different scenes of water scarcity in Churachandpur district where entrepreneurs have begun to reap rich harvest

Failure to make use of vast water resources available within the five km radius of the township despite tens-and-tens of crores earmarked since the early part of the 90s have now cost the residents dear.

yet for some entrepreneurs who sense this more than the elected representatives or government does are making the most of it.

Taking into account the fact that more than 50 rickshaw pullers who manage three trips a day and at least five mini-tankers that manage four trips having witnessed demands more than they could attend, there clearly is a water crisis in this restive little township.

Residents have already shelled out, on a daily basis more than Rs.30,000 to meet their needs, and the amount could very well be doubled if a proper estimate was carried out.

With the current estimate which excludes small-time water supplier such as Khuppu of Zenhang Lamka who makes 300-500 bucks a day from his ring-well and Siasiam who fetches at every available opportunity when he is not ferrying passengers to the interiors, the township's estimate monthly expenditure on water stands at Rs.9 lakhs per month.

An alarming figure for any individual with economic sense.

A novel thing for the individuals that came in the midst of this dilemma is the introduction of 'mineral water' at Rs.1 per litre though an American Hydrologist.

The American had introduced a simple but effective way to extract mineral grade water sometime last-year and the business is kicking well since with more than five such facilities within the township.

One such entrepreneur to capitalize on the 'mineral water' who had a registered customer of above 150 families that gulps 20 litres daily is Kamsuan of Pearsonmun.

He now makes a door-to-door delivery with a DI mini-truck complete with the mineral water fame special container.

His counterparts too set-up several outlets in the township and sold them to the public according to their needs.

Though, there was no official sanction on the quality, sources close to the installation activities said, they have tested a sample at Guwahati and it was branded as a mineral grade.

As for the rickshaw pullers and workers of the entrepreneurs that invested with a mini-tanker they maintain something in common.

During an interaction with The Sangai Express they said they could not meet the demand for water.

'We only deliver to those who book at least one day in advance,' Khaithang, a tanker driver said, while Siammuansang said since 2003 the lack of water source is delaying their delivery.

'If we wait for our turn right after our morning meal we get your chance only at 1 pm, so we could only manage three to four trips a day,' he said adding, 'as long as you have the water you don't have to worry for a buyer'.

What really is intriguing is the fact that such a crisis comes about when there is a sea of water reserved at about 5 km from the township while tens of crores have already been sanctioned for utilizing the water reserved.

When The Sangai Express visit Khuga Dam yesterday the water level remains at 844.2 meters and it only needs five more meters at 850 to store its maximum capacity of 60 million gallons.

The water there lay wasted beneath one hill-top after the other and down below but in contrast the people are craving for water.

The water at Khuga Dam and the drought-like situation in the township is one stark evidence that the government has failed to deliver to the people.

A project undertaken by the IFCD in the early parts of the 1990s was aborted due to sub-standard pipelines.

Another big-time project worth 24 crores was again sanctioned in 2002 under NLCPR but till today the government has failed to bring even a drop of water from the dam.

PHED's EE J Baite told The Sangai Express that his department is planning to complete the project by June this year.

It may be noted here that the department has made similar claims to this correspondent last year too.

When inquired about the major set-back, the EE said Installation of water pump and filter media was the only major problem now and maintains that the pump too had arrived at Imphal.

But, with the present pace of work the project will fail this year as well.

Three women were having a nap on a shade when this correspondent visited the water treatment site and an attendant of the construction company said they were having a lunch break.

The government could very well avoid a 2005 like confrontation with the masses if it expedite and delivered the much needed water to the people when they needed most.

Students demanding adequate power supply and a decent road connectivity had ransacked the police station and torch many vehicles then.

Two supply zones under the same project is said to be completed but it bring no benefit to the township as they attends only to a handful of adjoining villages.

The most cru cial seems the most neglected.

Khuga Dam is expected to attend at least 80 percent of the township but it receive the same amount of funding with other zones, and the priority remains with the other two as it is the last in the line of completion.

Last, because it has the least amount of left-over, no one knows.

The Government's failure to deliver even the naturally available resources that were aplenty has evoked severe criticism from residents as well.

'If they (govt) can't deliver the naturally available resources from Khuga Dam till here, I really don't know what else can be expected,' argue S Muandounlian, an editor of a monthly journal.