Plans afoot to solve water problem in Kohima

Zhovezo Resu
Kohima, March 21: In an effort to permanently solve problem on scarcity of potable drinking water in Kohima, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has initiated steps drawing from Dzükou river namely Dzüpfu/ Tepuiki river.
“For permanent water solution, we are initiating a proposal this year to bring water from Dziikou river namely Dziipfu/Tepuiki river.’ Steps are being taken up for permanent water supply solution problem in Kohima and the scheme is only initiated for permanent solution,” says Er. Kevisekho Kruse, Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). He acknowledged that the department couldn’t address the water supply problem till now on permanent basis in Kohima, adding the only 13% of the present requirement is available during the dry season.
For interim arrangement, he said the department has been making effort by bringing water from Kigwema, Jakhama sources and also by improving the water sources at Phesema village. On the completion of these projects, he hoped that at least 50% of the present requirement at Kohima will be meet in the coming financial year 2017.
Stating that water is a basic necessity for survival and development, he urged mass participation of the people including the landowner. He emphasised allowing the department to do all the necessity for improvement of the water supply in the town.
On the same line, Kruse stressed on the need for water education starting from mother to child to conserve water and to store water by adopting economical used and also practice hygienic used of water.
‘People are complaining that there is scarcity of water, but even if sufficient water is supply to you, unless economic or judicial used is practised, there will always be shortage. Therefore, every household needs to store water and know how to conserve water at household level,’ he noted.
He said it should be the joint responsibility of every citizen and the government to arrest water scarcity and conserve water at the household level.
On contamination of water, Er. Kevisekho Kruse said the department had encountered problems of water quality in Dimapur and other foothill areas of the State due to excess iron, nitrate problems and bacteriological contamination. He, however, said that there was no major incidence of toxic and heavy metal contamination reported from hilly areas.
Amba Jamir, Executive Director of Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN), shared concerned on issue of shortage as well as wastage and mismanagement. He felt that all those issues have to be addressed simultaneously in a coherent and visionary manner. While stating that urban population is increasing and the demand for water is growing, he said the issue to solve water scarcity has not happened.
He further urged the government to study all options not only on supply and demand but on hydrological factors, mapping and undertaking actions for watershed management and ensuring that there is a convergence of efforts by all line departments across the State.
“The state should establish State Water Commission to look at all aspects of water and look into issues of hydrology research and water resource development, water conservation and management, water exploration and extraction, administer water use and disposal mechanisms, impose extraction control mechanisms, frame State rules and institute awards for communities and institutions that are water smart,” he felt.
On solution, Jamir said such challenges do not have a one-size-fits-all solution adding, “Conservation at individual household levels may be fine but what is required are macro State plans and policies that encourage citizens to be sensitive, proactive and water conscious.”
Going by long experiences, most individual household in Nagaland and other water-scarce areas have adapted methods to conserve water even to the extent of recycling it more than one can imagine.
‘Where we lack or what the missing link lies in our recklessness in not making the necessary connections between forests, waste generation, habits and our lifestyles, we must think back and see what activities of ours negatively affect water conservation,’ said Jamir.
Expressing concern over shortage of water in Kohima, PHED minister, Chotisuh Sazo said great task lies ahead of the department to provide sufficient safe drinking water to the public all over Nagaland,
“We may not be able to change overnight. But we have to manage properly what is available with us. I have confidence in our officers and staff that we will be able to do it,” Sazo told the PHED officers and staff during the introductory meeting at PHED Directorate conference hall on March 15.
World Health Organisation (WHO) said the World Water Day is about taking action to tackle the water crisis. Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water.