Port Blairians to get water every 96 hours

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS June 5, 2007

City dwellers to continue to get piped water every 96 hours: LG

Port Blair, June 04

The existing pattern of water supply in the Port Blair city would continue till the end of this month. Accordingly, piped water will be supplied to the people every 96 hours, the Lt. Governor informed the accompanying mediapersons after inspecting the water level at Dhanikhari and discussing with the Engineers of Andaman Public Works Department at the dam site this afternoon.The Lt. Governor reiterated that the situation was not at all alarming and asked the mediapersons not to create any panic on the issue of water availability. He said, the fall in the level of Dhanikhari Dam due to a long dry spell and subsequent delay in the onset of monsoon has rendered us into a difficult spot but "we have made all necessary arrangement to tide over the situation". If necessary, arrangements will be made to fetch water from Rutland Island, he said, adding that there was, however, no dearth of raw water thanks to the special efforts made over the few months towards cleaning of wells and ponds in and around the city. Answering a query of the newsmen about the desalination plant, the Lt. Governor informed that 8 out of the 10 plants, which were earlier procured could be successfully activated in different islands to cater to the needs of drinking water and that more desalination plants would be acquired for the islands. Referring to the construction of a sweet water lake at Sippighat where a vast stretch of agriculture land have been rendered permanently unploughable due to ingression of sea water, the Lt. Governor informed that the project to be taken up phase-wise, once completed, will be a long term solution for the water crisis.The Lt. Governor also met the affected persons of the submerged land at Sippighat and discussed with them the acquisition of the land for construction of sweet water lake. He told them that apart from the cash compensation, the Administration will also take up the matter for allotment of alternate land to these persons in lieu of the submerged land. The Lt. Governor was accompanied by a number of senior officers of the Administration.