Zhadima village with the support of several neighbouring villages Tuesday obstructed the commissioning of water supply project for Chiephobozou RD Block and surrounding villages at Balancing Reservoir Site, Zhadima under Kohima district and prevented PHED minister Jacob Zhimomi from inaugurating the project. Minister was accompanied by advisor sericulture & excise and minority affairs Zhaleo Rio, advisor treasuries and accounts and national highways Dr. Longriniken and departmental officials.
Zhadima village youth president Vizosielie Khoube told media persons that the villagers were agitating against incomplete work of the project. He said the department was commissioning the water reservoir, but the water has not reached the villages. “So we could not help but voicing our grievances and our concern to the government,” he said.
It is learnt that 24 villages under Chiephobozou RD block were to be benefitted under the project with piped water supply. However, the villagers claimed that neither adequate sub water reservoirs were constructed nor distribution pipelines were fitted to the units.
In the case of Zhadima village, they claimed that three small water reservoirs with a volume capacity of 1950 litres were fitted with just a single tap each and no other distributing pipelines.
The villagers questioned how could that suffice the village which has 875 households.
Prior to the agitation, the Zhadima village submitted a representation to the department with the hope a better consultation and mutual understanding would be reached on the ongoing project. However, the villagers lamented that the department did not pay heed to the plea of the people or express status of works to the people.
The villagers said they were left with no option but to resort to the obstruction of the scheduled programme. The community affirmed that no commissioning programme could be organised until the village site projects were suitably feasible for water supply.
Earlier, the minister sought cooperation of the villagers and asked them to allow him to inaugurate the project assuring that by December 2019 the department would meet all the requirements. However, the villagers registered disagreement and insisted that the project be commissioned only after water reaches all the 24 villages.
“Our stand is that until and unless the water reaches the 24 villages we will not let the department inaugurate this project,” Zhadima Village VDB secretary Roko Angami told the media persons. “We will file RTI in the name of the village with the department,” he added.
Deptt will have a review meeting: Talking to media persons, PHE minister Jacob Zhimomi said that initially the project was meant to supply water to 24 villages but due to technical reasons it was not feasible.
He said that after analysing various technical difficulties, the department could cover around 10 villages in the first stage.
“So primarily, our first target is to cover the 10 villages. So that was our intention today that is why we had come to Zhadima to commission the project,” the minister said.
After hearing the plight of the villagers and GBs, the leaders of the 24 villages, the minister said that since their demands were genuine the department would have a review meeting pertaining and take necessary steps to see that justice was delivered.
“We have completed 10 villages, the next 14 villages will take some more time because it all has financial complications,” he said and urged all the villages to bear with the government.
He assured that the government will explore possibilities “where we can fund this project so that the desires and needs of the people are fulfilled.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Moangwati Aier, principal secretary to PHED, in a press note, stated that the project was sanctioned in the year 2011 funded by DONER for Rs. 26.2 crore.
He stated that the original proposal was by gravity from Dzulakie river but it was not feasible so the department had to change to Zhadima river source by pumping for 10 villages in the 1st stage.
He stated that the remaining villages will be covered through deep tube wells and also proposal for additional requirements have been taken up with Jal Shakti Ministry.
Presently 10 villages will get sufficient Drinking Water from the four reservoirs, which have been completed along with the pumps, and the remaining villages would get water supply through deep tube wells since the altitude of the other villages is much higher than the reservoir tank at Zhadima Village, he stated.
The principal secretary stated that the compensation for the land has been paid by the government to the Zhadima landowners and the government has approved for appointment for four grade IV staffs and two pump operators under the said project.
Aier stated that pipe connection to all the households was not covered under the scheme. However, the reservoir tanks and connection were made in the respective khels/colonies etc of the covered villages for supply of drinking water.