Defunct water pipes destroyed

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
IMPHAL, January 9: The angry villagers of Heirok Part II in Thoubal district yesterday dug up the water pipes and threw them away. The destructions were done under the supervision of Friends in Need, an organisation of the youths in the village. Later talking to media persons, the angry youths said that for the last 15 years they have not got any drinking water. The pipes laid down by the public health engineering department have rusted since no water was released to it. However, the befuddled officials had the temerity to claim that they have been releasing potable water to the villagers all these years. It meant that money for buying pipes, chemicals to purify the water, maintence , staff salary of the "imagiry" employees and all others had been pocketed by the corrupt elements. Interestingly, the village falls within the constituency of Okendra Moirangthem, the minister who holds some important portfolios. The villagers have been requesting the minister and Hemochandra Irengbam, the minister in charge of public health engineering department to release water. They have turning a deaf ear.