Shillong: Meghalaya is facing a significant rainfall deficiency of 50% this year, creating challenges for farmers, as Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. To combat this crisis, the state government is working to harness the waters from all rivers in Meghalaya. Sangma also revealed that he has established a climate council, which he chairs, to tackle various environmental issues, including the vital concern of drinking water supply. He emphasized that Meghalaya was the first state in India to create a comprehensive water policy focused on conserving and revitalizing streams, rivers, and catchment areas.
In a bid to enhance drinking water availability in Shillong, the government is considering multiple solutions and is currently focusing on sourcing water from the Umngot River in Dawki. However, this initiative is still in the planning phase. During the Question Hour, opposition legislator Brightstarwell Marbaniang from the Voice of the People Party raised questions about water scarcity. In response, Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise N. Marak stated that the daily water requirement for Shillong-including areas not covered by the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (Phase 1 and 2)—is 55.83 million liters. Presently, the city receives only 41.78 million liters of drinking water per day, resulting in a shortfall of 14.05 million liters. Marak assured that this deficit is projected to decrease significantly once the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (Phase 3) is completed.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/how-will-meghalaya-address-its-50-rainfall-deficiency-and-water-shortage/articleshow/123787351.cms
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-09-09 18:18:00
