Aizawl: The Mizoram government has decided to provide additional water supply to residents of south Mizoram’s Lunglei town to alleviate the acute water shortage plaguing residents of Lunglei town in southern Mizoram, an official said on Friday.
Lunglei, the state’s second largest town after Aizawl, has been facing a severe water crisis since March as Tlawng river, its primary water source, is rapidly drying up due to prolonged dry season.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The official acknowledged the public that the government has decided to fetch water using vehicles from Mat river the runs between Zobawk in Lunglei district and Hnahthial town and distribute it to residents within Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC), effective Saturday.
The decision follows an arrangement made by state Public Health Engineering Minister Lalnilawma and four legislators from Lunglei town, the official asserted.
The official further stated that the government will collaborate with the Lunglei Truck Owners’ Association to distribute water to residents.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Officials said that the region has not received rainfall since January, which caused depletion of water sources.
Concerning the severity of the of the situation, PHE Engineer (SE) Zohmingliana said that the current pumping capacity from the Tlawng river has drastically reduced to a mere 1.5 Million Litres per Day (MLD), starkly contrasting with the town’s daily requirement of 3.5 MLD. While the PHE department could typically pump water continuously for 24 hours, the rapid depletion of the primary source now limits pumping operations to just 9-13 hours daily, Zohmingliana asserted.
According to Zohmingliana, there are about 80,000 residents and over 16,000 water tap connections in Lunglei and surrounding areas.
He added that the department is currently constructing a concrete gravity dam on the Tlawng river, and if they complete the project in time, they could avoid the severe water shortage next year.