A CORRESPONDENT
GUWAHATI: At a time when the State government is spending crores of rupees in supplying pure drinking water to the people, as many as ten water supply schemes under Azara Revenue Circle in Kamrup (Metro) district have been lying defunct for years together. The Guwahati Division-1 under Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department had launched several schemes with an aim to supply pure drinking water in areas under Dharapur, Azara, Garal, Mazirgaon and Kahikuchi Gaon Panchayats (GPs) under Guwahati West Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) several years back. It has been learnt that water supply projects at Azara-Hirapara-Lapatul, Chakradew, Mainakhorang and Barbari-Keotpara under Azara GP, Matia, Patgaon, Pachaniapara and Dekapara projects under Kahikuchi GP, Mirzapur, Lower-Mirzapur, Garal and Kuhabari-Ambari projects under Garal GP and Borjhar project under Mazirgaon GP were set up by the PHE Department during 2002-2010. But the people of these localities are still deprived of potable water.
Even after repeated pleas by the people, officials concerned have not taken any positive steps in this regard. Moreover, the huge pipes installed near the national highway by Gamon India Ltd under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM), have been lying idle for a long time. The outbreak of water-borne diseases in these areas cannot be ruled out due to lack of pure drinking water, some conscious citizens lamented. The local people alleged that though supplying pure drinking water to the people was one of the major and regular issues in the election manifesto for six-time AGP MLA from the constituency Ramendra Narayan Kalita, he has failed to fulfil his election assurances to date. "We expect something concrete from the present BJP-led government in this regard," some aggrieved locals said.