Ampati: Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma today laid the base for the Greater Ampati Water Supply Scheme at the Ampati Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division Complex. Dr Sangma also launched the Handicraft Training Programme being organized by the department of commerce and industries for the district during the programme. He was accompanied PHE Minister Prestone Tynsong and Mahendraganj MLA Dikkanchi D Shira.
The greater Ampati Water supply scheme (WSS) is an ambitious project conceptualized by Dr Sangma to meet the demand of potable water for the people of South West Garo Hills in general and Ampati in particular. The project with an estimate of Rs 139 crores was sanctioned under the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) and work is slated to commence from the month of December this year.
The project itself is massive and includes laying of 350 mm thick pipeline for 60 kilometers starting from the tapping base at Balka wari around 5kms from Tura till Banduraja around 7kms from Ampati. The pipeline will cover 74 villages enroute to the storage tanks and benefit altogether 79 villages.
Addressing the gathering the Chief Minister expressed his happiness at being able to meet the ‘expectations and aspirations’ of the people of the region. He informed that though the project had been conceptualized quite earlier the sheer magnitude of the undertaking inhibited its speedy implementation. Speaking on the need for conservation and protection of water catchment areas Dr Sangma stated that misuse of resources will negate the initiatives for sustainable development and declared the need for authorities take care of water resources.
He informed that the government has undertaken a comprehensive endeavour to harness maximum benefit of water resources and termed the WSS a green project which will be the cornerstone for all other similar projects which will be initiated wherever possible all over the state in the days to come. Speaking on a new initiative of the government to stock water in negative spaces along river basins, Dr. Sangma said that these stocks would be used to irrigate and recharge rivers. He later announced that Rs 300 crores has been sanctioned for a project to restore the Daru river through irrigation. Dr Sangma later thanked the PHE Minister and his department for expediting the implementation of the WSS project.
PHE Minister Prestone Tynsong while lauding the leadership of Dr Mukul Sangma stated that under his guidance the state has seen several major reformative changes. He informed that the scheme would greatly benefit the people of the region.
Among others who spoke at the occasion were PHE Chief Engineer and PHE Additional Chief Engineer, MDC Stevie Marak, Deputy Commissioner C V D Diengdoh, ADC H D B Sangma and former MLA S Marak were among others who attended the gathering.
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