11,431 Japanese Encephalitis-AES-hit Assam habitations yet to get piped water

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Over 11,000 habitations in the ten JE (Japanese Encephalitis) and AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome)-affected districts in the state have not got piped water connection under JJM (Jal Jeevan Mission).

The JJM under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has significantly strengthened the preventive measures to reduce the spread of JE-AES by providing clean tape water supply to economically poor households in the affected districts numbering 61 in five affected states. The affected states are Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and UP. The Ministry of Jal Shakti allocates specific funds for JE-AES affected priority districts based on drinking water sources and the extent of water contamination. It allocated 0.5 per cent of the Budget under JJM to carry out activities for providing potable drinking water in every rural household in JE-AES-affected districts.

The JE-AES affected districts in Assam are Barpeta, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri. They together have 33,738 JE-AES-affected habitations. As many as 11,431 affected habitations have not got piped water connections under the JJM. As many as 1,148 habitations in Barpeta, 3,365 in Dibrugarh, 1,248 in Tinsukia, and 1,059 in Udalguri are yet to get pipe water connections.

Official sources claim that they can meet the target by 2024.

JE-AES is a health hazard that affects children and young adults, leading to morbidity and mortality.

JE-AES affects thousands of people in Assam. JE claimed 40 lives, and AES claimed 91 lives in 2021.

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