By Manoj Kumar Ojha
Doomdooma(Assam): There is a village in Assam’s Tinsukia district where people are still dependent on natural stream; they are not among the 36 lakh households to whom JJM providing drinking water as claimed Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah ( of Assam PHED ).
Fulmoni Kharia, 59, a widow is one of them .
“I am totally dependent on this stream. You touch the water how cool and fresh it is . But yes , I feel very tired to bring it from the stream from morning to evening,” she told OurIndia.
“We wash our utensils, take bath , cook food and do every household work with this water. There is a tube well but of no use,” Fulmoni added .
Not only Fulmoni but many others in the village are dependent on the stream water unaware of the fact that the water may cause severe diseases to them due to pollution as it is used as a way also to connect two river banks villages without having a bridge. Pigs are tied and garbages are thrown in the water.
The village falls under Mankhowa gaon Panchayat under Doomdooma assembly constituency and Lakhimpur Parliamentary constituency in Tinsukia district of upper Assam around 527 kilometers east from capital Guwahati.
The village is mostly inhabited by people of Tea Tribes whose vote make a decisive role to make a democratic government in Assam.
On the other hand, Assam Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on his completion of one year at his office highlighted the achievements of the Functional Household Tap Connections under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Assam.
Jayanta Mallabaruah said, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the state of Assam has crossed 50 per cent of work under Jal Jeevan Mission.”
The minister added that by 2024 the entire mission will be completed with the involvement of the community.
The Assam Minister also expressed his views that the state of Assam had struggled with the progress of FHTCs initially, however, over the period of last couple of years, the state has been able to cope with the expected progress.
It is worth mentioning that ever since independence, households of Assam had only 1.64 per cent of tap water connections, but in the last few years the proportion skyrocketed to 50.25 per cent after Prime Minister Modi initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019.
“On August 17, 2019, the state government could provide drinking water to only 1. 64 per cent but in the last 3 and half years the government has covered 50.25 per cent of the JMM,” the minister added.
Going a step ahead in achieving the 100 per cent milestone under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the state government is now mulling introducing a social media campaign- ‘Photographic, reels and shorts competition’ starting from June 10 till July 31.
The first three winners of each district will carry a cash prize of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively which will be rewarded on August 15, 2023.