Assam: Two villages beyond reach of government’s drinking water scheme
A Correspondent
Boko: Residents of Kinangaon and Sakrasila villages still live by drinking nature’s stream water. The government’s drinking water schemes have not reached the Kinangaon area under the Boko-Chaygaon Legislative Assembly Constituency of the Kamrup mistrict. More than 30 families in the area collect drinking water from the steam every day. The natural stream is situated in Bakrapara under Kinangaon village, and the stream comes from the Landu hill situated in the village. Kinangaon village falls under the Boko PHE sub-division and is some 14 kilometres from the office.
Despite the government’s aim to make the Jal Jeevan Mission a success story across rural India, villagers in and around Kinangaon under Boko-Chaygaon LAC in Assam’s Kamrup district are left quenching their thirst from a natural stream.
Rijit G. Sangma, a 58-year-old man, said that they installed a water pump motor to collect water from that stream. However, other villagers, especially women and girls from this area, fill water from the stream into pitchers and bottles that they carry in bamboo baskets or on bicycles. “We have used the stream water for drinking since my childhood, and now my grandsons and granddaughters also use the same water,” added Sangma.
Binima Rabha, a 55-year-old woman from Chakrashila village who always used to come to collect water from the stream, stated that she has given up hope in the government’s scheme. She said that she has been collecting water regularly from the stream for the last 10 to 15 years, and her home is around two kilometres away from the stream.
However, Boko PHED Sub-Division Engineer, who is also the site manager of the JJM Scheme in Kinangaon area, Mandeep Saikia, said that one new PWSS (Pipe Water Supply Scheme) is in an ongoing state to cater to the need for water for the inhabitants of village Kinangaon. All work on the scheme will be completed by August 2024. Saikia also emphasised, “The contractor is doing the construction work very slowly.”
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