Imphal, November 14 2008: RESIDENTS OF Ngakraba Leirak in the heart of Imphal city, who had voiced anguish over the scarcity of potable water through this newspaper, today suddenly sounded happy as the government officials have started work to lay water-pipeline.

"After you, the newsmen intervened, we're expecting water supply very soon," echoed a resident of the locality in an interaction with this reporter.

Over 2000 residents of Ngakraba Leirak and Yumnam Leikai in Singjamei Assembly Constituency have been facing scarcity of potable water since March last year following sewerage project and expansion of the National Highway 39 which affected the pipeline that supplied water to their area.

The residents had even staged a sit-in-demonstration against the government's failure to provide potable water to the locality, on November 2 last.

They have been demanding immediate water supply to the locality by November 15 .

But after both English and Manipur editions of Hueiyen Lanpao daily and a private electronic media carried the untold miseries of the residents of Ngakraba Leirak on November 5 in the wake of the acute water scarcity, the higher authority of Public Health Engineering Department finally paid heed to the grievances of the public.

Soon after the report appeared in the Hueiyen Lanpao, the officials started work on digging up NH 39 in front of the Bobby Biscuit factory near Imo Filling Station to lay water supply line to the locality from the pipeline of the newly inaugurated Moirangkhom water treatment plant.

"This is really encouraging," G I Sharma,Vice-President of Ngakraba Leirak Development Association felt.

Appreciating help of the media persons in highlighting the public suffering in the need of the hour, he also thanked the state authority and officials of the PHE Department for the same.

"Once the connection is completed by tomorrow morning, we may get water latest by Sunday," another resident exuded confidence.

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