AGARTALA:
The chairman of TIPRA, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma held a meeting with the drinking water and sanitation (DWS) minister Sushanta Chowdhury on April 27, and apprised him on the scarcity of water in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas.
During the meeting, Pradyot highlighted that 50 per cent households in TTAADC do not have access to proper drinking water facilities, and urged the minister to take necessary steps to address the issue.
“Today we had a meeting with DWS minister Sushanta Chowdhury. We deliberated on the issue of drinking water in TTAADC areas. The minister visited the district headquarter of the council in Khumulwng, where he was informed that 50 percent of households in the TTAADC areas have no facilities of drinking water. We have sought the help of the minister. Drinking water department doesn’t come under TTAADC administration, it comes under the state government,” Pradyot said.
Pradyot also requested the state government to arrange water tankers for the time being or to assist in setting up water bodies in such areas.
Stating that water being a basic necessity, and everyone has the right to proper drinking water, Pradyot further said, “No one rules Tripura without TTAADC. And the minister has also agreed that we should work together. The data from the government reveals that 50 percent of households in ADC don’t have water connections. If somebody is thirsty, I can’t say that water will come after four months. There should be no politics on providing basic amenities. During Covid, we worked together and now also we have to work together for drinking water,” Pradyot told reporters.
He also appealed to the Youth Tipra Federation to distribute water in the villages for which he will provide the funds.
S K Darlong, Dhalai district president of Janajati Morcha, Mojid Mia Minority Morcha president Karamcherra under Dhalai district, Khagendra Reang another Janajati Morcha president and Sree Kumar Halam BJP state committee member were among the others present at the meeting.