Haflong: A ground-breaking ceremony for a Rs 100.63-crore water supply project was held at Lal Field in Haflong on Sunday.
The project, approved under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, aims to address the long-standing problem of water scarcity in Haflong, the only hill town in Assam and the headquarters of Dima Hasao district.
The ceremony was attended by North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council Executive Member Donpainon Thaosen, AMRUT Mission Director Samprity Goswami and other officials.
Jayanta Malla Baruah was scheduled to attend the programme as the chief guest but could not reach Haflong due to inclement weather conditions prevailing in the region over the past few days.
Speaking on the occasion, Thaosen highlighted the persistent water scarcity faced by residents of Haflong and recalled his own experiences during earlier years when water shortages were a recurring problem. He expressed confidence that the new project would provide a long-term solution to the town’s water supply challenges.
Funded by the Central government at an estimated cost of Rs 100.63 crore, the project will have a pumping capacity of 70 lakh litres of water per day. It is designed to benefit 10,086 households through house service connections.
The plan also includes the laying of 70.25 km of pipeline network across the town, which is expected to significantly enhance Haflong’s water supply infrastructure and improve access to safe drinking water.
In addition, an underground water reservoir with a storage capacity of 2.2 lakh litres will be constructed as part of the project.
The project is expected to be completed within two years.