‘Govt failed to supply water to 95% city folks’

Guwahati: The Citizens’ United Forum for Water Supply in Guwahati on Sunday said the state government has failed to provide piped water to more than 95% of the city residents from the four ambitious water supply projects, which were initiated in 2009. The city has been reeling under drinking water crisis for decades.
Deepak Goswami, chief convener of the forum, told TOI, “Of the four projects, the progress of the Guwahati West Project, funded by the Centre, was reported to be good as per government records. Nearly 72% of work was almost complete. However, only 5% of the people residing in the zone started receiving adequate supply of pipeline water.” Almost 55% of work of the Central and North Guwahati Projects, which are being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was reported to be completed. But the citizens’ body said not a single drop of water has been supplied in these zones yet.
Goswami added that apart from the above three zones, the East Guwahati Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, has failed to make any significant progress since 2018.
“The project in Guwahati East zone is in a poor state. The government does not even know who will fund it,” added Goswami. The forum also expressed concern over the current water situation in the city that becomes worse during winters, he said.