HT Digital,
Gangtok, May 29: In response to the pressing water scarcity issues in Pakyong, District Collector Tashi Chopel chaired a critical review meeting today. The session was held in the DC’s chamber and included key officials from the Public Health Engineering Department, Rural Management & Development Department, Forest Department, and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
The meeting focused on discussing various challenges and potential solutions to the water resource problems in the region. During the discussions, the Assistant Engineer (AE) of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department reported on a joint inspection conducted on May 22 at Richu, Pakyong’s primary water source. This inspection included representatives from NHIDCL, PHE, and the Forest Department. They found that recent NHIDCL road construction and improper debris disposal had caused surface runoff, contaminating the Richu water source. Although NHIDCL had taken initial measures to mitigate the issue, the AE noted that these efforts were insufficient.
In light of this, DC Pakyong instructed the officials to conduct another joint inspection by May 29. He stressed the urgency of revisiting the site, implementing corrective actions by NHIDCL, and ensuring thorough monitoring of the situation. This includes proper debris management from new road construction and its disposal in designated areas.
As a temporary measure to alleviate the ongoing water shortage, the water supply for Pakyong Bazar, Pachey Samsing, Naopgoan, and Pachey has been scheduled for distribution during morning and evening hours.
Additionally, the Junior Engineer (JE) from the Block Administrative Centre provided an update on the water scarcity situation in Dikling Pacheykhani, East Dikling, and Zoomthang. Restoration work above the Pakyong Airport has commenced after identifying the water source in that area. Although the distribution line has been set up, the water pipeline needs to be laid through the airport drain. Debris blockage in these drains was cleared after consultation with airport authorities, but damage to the drain was discovered. It was decided to retrofit the drains according to their design specifications before laying the JJM pipeline through them.
The review meeting underscores the district administration’s proactive approach in addressing water scarcity and ensuring sustainable water management in Pakyong.
