ITANAGAR, Aug 6:When told its Sunday, Bhupen gave a wry smile. For him, and seventy others, all days were just work days that practically stretched into work nights every other day.

While citizens of the state capital poured their angst over the public health engineering & water supply department through whatever means available – notably Facebook – hundred odd workers toiled day and night clearing debris, constructing embankments, aligning pipes far from the visibility of the civilized world, making the jungles of Rilloh their temporary home. Unlike their counterparts in the city, they had no issues of water scarcity. River Poma and River Mopung Mike wouldn’t let that happen.

The state capital would remember for long the 9^th of July, 2017. Incessant rains created havoc across the twin cities – blocking roads, washing away pavements and snapping the very sources of water supply. Two days of life without water was enough to trigger frustrations amongst the citizens that grew by the day.

With pressure mounting on the government, a team of PHED officials under the direct supervision of Chief Engineer Toko Jyoti and Executive Engineer Tadar Mangku silently set out on a mission. The state government set them 15^th August as the deadline to resume water supply to the state capital.

The 71 workers headed by three junior engineers made the confluence of Poma and Mopung Mike rivers as their base camp and took the job at hand head on. Incidentally, the damage on the pipeline was severest at the place where they had set their camp. The Mopung Mike river had changed its course and washed away about 100 mtrs of DI pipes...never to be retrieved.

In 24 days and 24 half days (worked late till about 10-11 pm) they repaired, constructed, aligned and fixed at least 15 damaged portions.

As PHE&WS Minister Bamang Felix reached the campsite this morning a jubilant PHED team informed that all the fixes have been completed and water is being released to the WTP.

Felix, who along with CE Jyoti and EE Mangku joined the jubilant workers for lunch, congratulated the workers and officials for their determination and completing the job ahead of the deadline.

Felix wished the workers and announced that all will be given overtime payment after completion of the entire project.

With water reaching the WTP it would be a matter of few hours before Itanagar heaves a sigh of relief. According to Mangku by afternoon of Aug 7 water should be reaching people’s homes.

Felix also inspected the ongoing repair works on the Naharlagun water supply near Borum and Yupia tri-junction. About 3 kms of new pipeline is being put in place that would take another couple of days.

Jyoti informed that the Naharlagun water supply would be completely restored by 11 August, thereby keeping a step ahead of the deadline.

Meanwhile, Bhupen and friends still have unfinished works. About 3 kms of approach road up to the water intake point has to be restored.  It’s another three-four days for them in the jungle camp.

With supplies reaching with the minister nobody’s complaining! 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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