PHE lied in RTI :HYC-NC

SHILLONG, MAR 30: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) Nongthliew Circle on Wednesday termed an RTI reply by the PHE department as“full of lies” when its claimed that a water supply scheme is operational but in reality it is not.

“The claim of the department that the water supply scheme is hundred percent operational as per the RTI reply is a lie as the ground reality is that there was no water supply to the residents of the three villages for nearly five years,” HYC-NC president Joplang Kharnaior told reporters on Wednesday.

According to him, the Kharthangmaw – Muthlong Water Supply Scheme was sanctioned at Rs 70.64 lakh in 2001 to provide water supply to the residents of the three villages – Kharthangmaw, Muthlong and Mawklohrisaw under Mairang Sub-Division in West Khasi Hills District.

“However the water supply scheme have totally stopped supplying water since the past five years which has affected the residents of the three villages as they have to fetch water from a distance of 1 km,” Kharnaior said.

Interestingly, the RTI had also claimed that the department had completed repairing of the water supply scheme as many as three times, which was also rejected by the HYC, which alleged there was no sign of such repair all these years.

The HYC leader further alleged that the water pipes are also rusting in the place and some of them have even gone missing.

Meanwhile, Kharnaior also alleged that another reason for the irregular supply of water from the scheme is due to the alleged failure of the department to fulfill the agreement signed with two land owners, who have given land for the project free of cost.

“The department had appointed the siblings of land owners as casual workers instead of giving them permanent appointment,” he said while alleging that due to this, they have taken the jobs very lightly which led to irregular water supply.

According to Kharnaior, when the department was approached, the reply for giving casual appointment was there was no posts, which had irked the land owners.

On the other hand, the HYC-NC said that it would soon meet the department to demand immediate redressal to the grievances faced by the people of the three villages besides executing of the agreement in letter and spirit.

“The department should ensure that the scheme is implemented as per its objective which is to supply adequate water supply to the people,” Kharnaior said.-By Our Reporter