Agartala, Dec 7 (TIWN): With an effort to bring respite among the people during dry spell, the Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) Department aimed to reach drinking water facility fully and partially in the 103 localities of West Tripura district by the current year.

Altogether 650 localities exist in the West Tripura district. Out of them, 461 localities have already been covered by fully drinking water facility while a total of 189 vicinities are covered with partial water facilities by the concerned department, said an official over telephone today.

An officer from the DWS department informed in a meeting recently conducted by the poverty alleviation standing committee of West Tripura District Zilla Parishad that at present 129 deep tube-wells, 53 Iron Removal Plants, 529 Small Bour Tube-wells, 1172 mark-II tube-wells and 957.607 kms water pipe lines exist in the district.

It is to be mentioned here; eruption of enteric disease and diarrhea are most common during dry spell in remote tribal localities in Tripura. Drinking of contaminated water from the streams due to drying up of regular water sources have led to diseases resulting in casualties every year. Many interior tribal localities in Tripura are facing acute drinking water crisis mainly caused by the dry spell. 

According to a communiqué inside DWS department, the officers are constantly monitoring the overall dry-spell situation of the state and taking needful steps.