HC gives state 6-month time to implement recommendations on supply of safe drinking water

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 23, 2019

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya High Court has given six months time to the state authorities for implementing the recommendations of the expert committee for ensuring supply of safe drinking water to the people of Shillong city.

“State authorities concerned shall take all necessary measures for ensuring the implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Committee in its letter and spirit, preferably within a period of six months,” the division bench comprising of the chief justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice HS Thangkhiew said in its order on Tuesday.

The bench also maintained that extension will not be granted unless the authorities justify the same and said, “But we hope and trust that the authorities will not seek any further extension, because supply of safe drinking water has priority.”

During the hearing, Addl AG has produced copy of a letter from the PHE department dated April 2, 2019 along with Status Report on implementation of the recommendations (e) & (f) of the Expert Committee on water quality issues of Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme.

It may be mentioned here that a 5-member expert committee was constituted by the public health engineering (PHE) department.

In its 6-point recommendations, the expert committee has asked the “Authority responsible for the treatment of water to avoid using of chemicals in excess of the required dosage and should strictly follow the prescribed procedures and practices in estimating the correct dosage of chemicals and the methods to use them”.

“… should optimize the chemical dosing of aluminium sulphate and hydrated lime, regulate the pH level of water during coagulation process and ensure efficient filtration throughout the water treatment process,” it stated.

The expert committee also recommended that the officers and staff involved in the operation of Water Treatment Plants should have suitable/desirable qualifications and adequate knowledge and experience in the field of water treatment.

To ensure long term solution to the water quality problem, it said that some appropriate and effective measures need to be taken to reduce the turbidity level of raw water in the river source.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) in its affidavit filed on April 18, has revealed that its officials have collected water samples on March 7, at four locations.

After analysis, found to confirm to the acceptable limit of drinking water. Furthermore, Oil and Grease could not be detected in the water samples, the MSPCB said.