Swajal Dhara goes down the drain in Kachai
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 23: Though conceived and implemented with high hopes and tall claims all over the country, the Swajal Dhara Project remains a farce in Kachai village of Ukhrul district.

With the villagers yet to taste a single drop of treated water from the Project, the water supply facility in Kachai is marked by brittle PVC pipes, GI pipes of lowest grade and dry water reservoirs.

The Kachai villagers, particularly women and girls thought the Swajal Dhara Project would be a blessing that will free them from their daily burden of fetching water from far off gorges and seasonal water holes but their hopes still remain a dream.

Villagers at Kachai resort to indigenous ways to collect water

Even as the Project was executed in Kachai village in May this year, no household has received any treated water from the Project.

On inspection, it was found that the PVC pipes used for carrying water from its sources to the village were leaked and broken at several points.

Moreover, the GI pipes were also found misused.

Located about 45 kms West of Ukhrul district Hqs, Kachai is a large village.

The village has 300 households with a total population of 2500.Though famous for its lemon, Kachai faces severe inconveniences in terms of transport and communication infrastructure.

The problem of safe drinking water is more acute in Kachai.

Talking to this reporter, Mataisang, a member of the Kachai Atungtang Youth Development Society, said that they welcome the Swajal Dhara Project but utilisation of materials of lowest grade and discrepancy in executing the Project have negated the very purpose of the Project.

The Project has provision to draw water from Ngonti Lok, a perennial source of water located about 4 kms away from the village.

The reservoir at the source is quite small while the reservoir constructed at Kachai is comparatively much bigger.

Moreover, the numerous leakages in the PVC pipes and the GI pipes all along the route have made it almost impossible to draw water till the village.

As for treatment of water, the villagers will accept water supplied in whatever form, treated or untreated, Mataisang said.

It was really an effort communicating with their folks staying at Imphal to bring a media team to Kachai so that they can file a report on the failed Swajal Dhara Project.

Mataisang conveyed that they climbed up a hill for about 2 hours and communicated with their folks at Imphal through Cell One from there.

Rose Horam, a middle-age woman, informed that the problem of water in Kachai has been the greatest misery of its womenfolk.

As it is rainy season, water is available in most of the water holes located in and around the village at present.

But in dry season, women have to wake up hours before dawn and walk for miles along hill slopes to fetch water.

In case the authority do not rectify the technical flaws and re-execute the Project maintaining proper quality by October, the Kachai villagers, particularly women will launch strong protest movements, disclosed Rose Horam.