The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, West Jaintia Hills District, today organised the Celebration of Jal Arpan Diwas, Stop Diarrhoea Campaign and Har Ghar Jal Declaration and Certification at Sohkha Mission. The programme was attended by PHE officials, traditional heads, members of the Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC), teachers, students and residents.
Speaking on Jal Arpan Diwas, Shri Sokima Najiar, Executive Engineer, PHE, highlighted the progress made in providing potable water to the area. He informed that the Sohkha Combined Water Supply Scheme, initially sanctioned at about ₹81 lakh in 2006, was subsequently augmented under the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2020 at a cost of over ₹1.31 crore. The project covered around 196 households with potable water connections and included replacement of old and damaged pipelines.
Explaining the significance of Jal Arpan Diwas, Najiar said that the observance marks an important stage when water supply assets created by the Department are handed over to the community, giving the village a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for their upkeep. He stressed that providing infrastructure alone is not sufficient and called upon the VWSC and residents to safeguard water sources, pipelines and other facilities so that the scheme remains sustainable.
Najiar also urged village authorities to keep the Department informed of road construction, tourism and other developmental activities that could affect pipelines. He further drew attention to the impact of quarrying and mining activities on water sources.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Kyntu Shullai, Assistant Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District, said that the successful implementation of the water supply schemes has made life easier for residents by reducing the time and effort required to fetch water from distant sources. He congratulated the PHE Department and the four villages and stressed that the schemes should be treated as community assets requiring collective ownership and proper maintenance for the benefit of future generations.
As part of the Stop Diarrhoea Campaign, Ms. Lydameka Hing explained that diarrhoea can be associated with contaminated water and poor hygiene and stressed preventive measures such as safe drinking water, proper waste disposal, handwashing, cleanliness around water sources and proper handling of food. Particular emphasis was placed on protecting children below five years of age and on testing drinking water to ensure its safety.
The campaign complements the objective of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which seeks to provide regular and safe water to rural households and institutions such as schools, health centres and Anganwadi centres. Speaking on the Har Ghar Jal Declaration and Certification, Smt. Daiamonlang Ksoo, SDO, PHE, explained that the JJM guideline provides for a minimum supply of 55 litres per capita per day. Har Ghar Jal declaration signifies that water has been made available to households in the village, while also placing responsibility on the community, through the VWSC, for the operation and maintenance of intra-village water supply infrastructure.
Ms. Ewanhai Shylla, IEC Coordinator, further elaborated on the role of the VWSC, stressing regular cleaning of water tanks, periodic water-quality testing, protection of water sources, reporting of damaged pipelines and proper maintenance of records for effective management of the scheme.
As part of the programme, Sohkha Mission was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of its active participation in Jal Arpan Diwas and its commitment towards water conservation, judicious use of drinking water and protection of water resources.
The programme also included felicitation of students, musical performances, the Har Ghar Jal Declaration and Certification and distribution of Jal Arpan Diwas certificates. It concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Marshall Manner.
