UDAIPUR/AMARPUR/DAMBUR,December 4 (TIWN): Drinking Water supply in the entire Gomati District and parts of Sepahijala district was cut off without any prior notification from Wednesday afternoon leading to acute crisis of water in Amarpur, Udaipur and Sonamura Sub Divisions. Even today till 13.30HRS the situation remains the same.

The problem arose yesterday when some people of noticed oil floating on the water of the river Gomati. Immediately the news spread far and wide. Local people informed SDM Udaipur Ajit Debnath, who in turn called SDM Amarpur to see what the matter was. It was found that on Wednesday some workers of Dambur Hydal Plant washed a few machineries of the Dambur plant in River Gomati and as result of it the oil and other liquid substances got mixed up with the water. Immediately SDM Udaipur informed DWS Minister Ratan Bhowmik, who ordered the DWS authorities to examine whether the oil and other substances mixed with river water have any poisonous effect.

         At the same time instruction was sent to DWS authorities to cut off drinking water supply from all the water treatment plants depending on River Gomati. On Thursday morning SDO DWS, Udaipur Puru Saha told TIWN," We have already collected water sample from Gomati and accordingly sent it to Agartala laboratory for testing. The report is yet to come. Unless the report comes positive we can't start the supply of drinking water from Banduar Water Treatment Plant and also in other plants that supply purified water from River Gomati.  We cant even say from when the supply of water will resume."

       Meanwhile people alleged that Udaipur Municipal Council didn't take any step to make the people aware about the situation through loud speaker announcement. In this connection TIWN had a chat with Udaipur Municipal Council Vice Chairperson Ranjan Krishna Das, who said," At this moment I can only say that along with DWS Udaipur UMC has started to supply drinking water through water carrying vans. We have also hired two vans. Hopefully report cones positive. If it is positive we soon start supply of drinking water as early as possible. " He agreed that in many parts of UMC area already scarcity of water has started. And as people have no other alternative , they are to buy packaged drinking water. However, many famines are still suffering. This crisis has arisen simy because of Dambur Hydal Plant authorities... Not only drinking water , water of river Gomati is also the only source of water for the OTPC plant . And all on a sudden suspense is also prevailing in OTPC as well