Water Supply Scheme For 'Dry' Cherrapunjee

Shillong, Aug 29 : With a drinking water crisis plaguing the once the wettest spot on earth, Cherrapunjee, now known by its old name of Sohra, a concerned Meghalaya government has promised to commission a water supply scheme to ease the situation.

With rainfall lessening at Sohra except during the monsoons, 56 km from here, women and children have to trek miles to fetch drinking water.

The perennial springs which once provided water in abundance are now on the verge of drying up due to large-scale destruction of forests.

Public Health Engineering Minister Prestone Tynsong said the project, the Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme, at a cost of Rs 4.13 crore, will provide drinking water to about 25,000 families in Sohra and will be commissioned between October-December this year.

"The department expects to provide 40 litres of water to each individual ever day," Tynsong said after reviewing the performance of his department yesterday