AGARTALA, January 10 (TIWN): The awaiting schemes of the state govt. to be brought up soon within January 15 to restrict the drinking water crisis at the rural Tripura. Certain schemes remained pending to start its operation due the lack of power facilities, said Minister Ratan Bhowmik. Most of the rural ares of the state and the especially the hilly areas are now under the limelight where the villagers fumes over the crisis of the drinking water facilities. Tripura Govt. has unleashed necessary measures to cope up with water crisis situation in the hilly areas of Tripura. The state Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) department has involved enough tankers and other measures for a safe water distribution especially in the tribal dominated villages of the state, said DWS Minister Ratan Bhowmik.Talking to the reporters here at the secretariat the DWS Minister Ratan Bhowmik said that as compared to the previous year this year the low rainfall has brought another hurdle, as most of the water bodies has dried up. “We have asked the DMs to report before any major crisis takes place”, said Bhowmik.He further added that another new water source was found recently at Jampuijala area, and an easy access can be made once the state govt. starts its new pending schemes.

Adding to that Mr. Bhowmik said that currently a total of 24 rural areas remained backtrack from the coverage of the safe drinking water.

He said that on another major hurdle works of some new water treatment plants at Khedachara, Birashimail and Panishagar remained paralysed due to the delay of the agencies. “The state govt. will floor another tender for the construction work of the water treatment plants”, said Bhowmik.

Later asked about the worst condition of the river Howrah, Minister said that the state govt. has ordered for a dredging machine, and it will be brought soon to set up at Howrah River. Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location. This technique is often used to keep waterways navigable. “Besides we have asked the DWS department to set up a reservoir at the upper stream of the river”, said Bhowmik.

However it is to be mentioned here that on another technique Tripura lacks rain water harvesting system. Rainwater harvesting is a technique of collection and storage of rainwater into natural reservoirs or tanks, or the infiltration of surface water into subsurface aquifers (before it is lost as surface runoff). One method of rainwater harvesting is rooftop harvesting. During the year 2007 the central govt. has asked all the states of the country to install or set up rain water harvesting system, but till today except Mizoram all other states remained beck track from setting up the facility.

Water is the foundation of life. And still today, all across the state, far too many people spend their entire day searching for it. In places hilly areas of the state, time lost gathering water and suffering from water-borne diseases is limiting people's true potential. It is mentionable here that the problem of water scarcity is a growing one in the rural Tripura, especially in the North, Dhalai and other parts.

And water's importance to political and social stability will only grow with the crisis.

The latest statistics shows, as many as 330 habitations of Tripura are still uncovered for purified potable water sources. Obviously, these locations are always prone to the spread of water-borne of diseases and ever year at least two outbreaks of seasonal gastro infections – pre monsoon and post monsoon are reported over the decades. Although the administration has taken steps to contain the intensity of the diseases by introducing several methods in vulnerable location and supply of water by tankers; yet safe and good health care facilities are still absent in maximum rural parts of the state especially in the hilly terrains.