French-aided water supply scheme to be opened on July 9

IMPHAL, April 27: The French aided Kangchup water supply scheme will be inaugurated on July 9 next, the public health engineering minister, O Joy Singh, announced today. The PHED minister, along with Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam toured the water supply scheme today to take stock .of the progress of work. The PHED minister, addressing mediapersons, noted that the present water demand for Imphal city was 9.84 million liters per day (mld). He said the installed capacity of the old Kangchup water supply plant was 14.52 mld while the capacity of the new water treatment plant being constructed with French aid had a capacity of 9.05 mld. The French aided project covers both renovation of the old water treatment plant and construction of the new plant. Of the total Rs 38.82 crore cost of the project, the French government provided a sum of Rs 20 crore. O Joy said Olivier Luise, French minister, economics, and S Colson, Aquatechnique, and IJ Singh, coordinator, will attended the inauguration function. The minister admitted that until some ongoing projects were completed, there will still be some problems in drinking water distribution for urban areas, particularly Imphal city and greater Imphal. He added that the People's Front government was pressing hard for the prompt completion of these projects, including the Leishanghiden water supply scheme, the Potsangbam ground water scheme, phase II, and Irilbung water supply scheme, and projects for construction of zonal reservoirs at the Assembly road, Keisampat, Cheiraoching, and Lalambung. The minister, drawing attention to the dire financial situation facing the state, urged water consumers to pay taxes promptly, adding that legal help would be taken if necessary to make people pay up. He further appealed for economic use of water.