Kiphire hit by water scarcity

Kiphire | February 24 : The less than normal rainfall in 2009 has aggravated the situation and a disastrous water shortage could prove the biggest threat to mankind in coming years. With hardly any or no rainfall since October last, streams and ponds have almost dried up in Kiphire district. Ironically, Kiphire district has been christened the ‘Land surrounded by Rivers’.
Both young and old are seen making a beeline for streams, ponds and even ‘leaking pipes’ in the streets. The citizens are all in a rush to get at least a bucket of water for domestic use, and the quality of the water they obtain remains their lowest concern. The 35-year-old pipes which the government of Nagaland had installed in the year 1976 is to a very little extent easing the water problem of Kiphire. Ever since their installation, there has been no project for Kiphire adding more misery to the citizens.
A mother busy repairing her domestic water pipeline with polythene sheet is heard scolding her kids over the water woes while complaining to her friends that “a bucket of water in a week’s time is a real problem”. Matric, secondary and degree level students sitting for their final examination are also seen with cans and buckets rather than at home sitting at a table to study. “In this condition how can we expect better result?” commented a teacher serving in a high school in the town.
Interacting with this correspondent from The Morung Express, Er. I Moa Longchar, EE PHED, who took charge of the office recently, expressed dissatisfaction at the sorry state of affairs. “The so-called main reservoir of Kiphire does not contain any water, so how can we supply water?” he said. “We could repair one reservoir which is also under WATSAN fund; otherwise there is not even a single socket in the department store so things are in sorry state,” the Engineer lamented.
However, expressing hope, the EE informed that “this year, things may change because the government has approved many schemes submitted by the department for the district.” He also expressed hope that consumers would cooperate so that the department can provide better service.
It may be mentioned that almost all main reservoirs in the town have been whitewashed and marble plated, engraved with the names of VIPs and their recent inauguration dates. However, with no repair work undertaken in reality, the common people become the victims of development.
Further, rainfall in Nagaland is generally not only heavy but also widespread over many months of the year. An average 2000m (80 inches) of rainfall is obtained in about 8 months of the year, although the period from the middle of June to mid-September experiences heaviest rainfalls.