Mukul asks Laloo to take steps

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Jan 20: Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma today said that he has asked deputy chief minister, in-charge PHE department, Prof RC Laloo to “take measures” to find out if the water supplied by the department was safe to drink.

“I have asked the minister concern to satisfy us because we all drink the same water,” Dr Sangma said today on the sidelines of the cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister also said that on many occasions individuals had expressed concern over the quality of water.

It may be mentioned that last week, Khun Hynniewtrwep tiol Awakening Movement (KHM) had claimed that that the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) was supplying acidic drinking water to the residents of Shillong city.

According to the KHM it had collected water sample from the 4½ Mile Reservoir in a sterilised bottle on January 6 and sent the same for test at the Pasteur Institute laboratory.

According to the test report the water has a pH value of 5.7, which is below the prescribed limit of 7, for it is acidic and unfit for human consumption. However, the PHE department refuted the allegations and claimed that the pH Value of incoming raw water to the GSWS Water Works for the period from January 1 to January 15 were above 6.5 and pH Value of treated water during the period were within permissible limit of drinking water standards.