Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Asom Songrami Mancha (ASM) has questioned the Chief Minister as to when the public will have access to drinking water.
Addressing the media at its central office at Rajgarh here, ASM working President Adip Kumar Phukan said, “The State government has not taken any strong initiative for supplying proper drinking water in the city. Currently there are a total 21 lakh people in the city, among which only 30 % have access to pure drinking water.” Phukan claimed that not even 50% of work has been completed of the scheme taken in the year back in 2008. Alleging the state government for its negligence towards materializing the schemes, Phukan said, “Although, in the 11th Five-Year Plan, the Central government took a scheme for providing 100% proper drinking water within the 2011-12 and initiatives were taken in different parts of the country. In Guwahati, with a total 21 lakh population, only 30 % people could have access to this. The situation is pitiable in rural areas, where only 18% people have access to pure drinking water.”
Phukan said, “Four schemes were started in 2008 in order to supply water to the people in the city and in 2009, a Jal Board was formed to manage the scheme."