Jubilation in Ladakh village as tap water reaches population after 75 yrs of independence

Jammu : The inhabitants of one of the remotest villages of Union Territory of Ladakh have started their Diwali celebrations a week early as they got tap water for the first time after 75 years of Independence.

Two days back, when village Man-Merag in Ladakh got tap water celebrations broke out across the village.

“Under Jal Jeevan Mission, water was supplied to Man-Merag village,” an official said, adding that due to extreme weather conditions and rough terrain, it was a huge challenge to provide clean drinking water to every household through taps as water freezes in pipelines during winter and disrupts supply.”

“Earlier the residents of Man-Merag had to travel miles on foot to get drinking water but they began Diwali celebration this year early when clean drinking water reached them through taps,” an official here told UNI on Saturday.

It was like their dream has come true, he said. The village is located close to the Line of Actual Control. Despite challenging terrain and temperature as low as minus 12 degrees, work continued in Dipling village, at 4,000 m above sea level with helicopters transporting HDPE pipes.

The UT official said after the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, “many developmental projects were launched in the Union Territory of Ladakh and Jal Jeevan Mission was among one of them”. He said the objective was to provide clean drinking water in every last village of the region.

The Rs 362-crore-project was sanctioned in the year 2020 with an aim to provide clean drinking water through household tap connections to every household in 125 villages of the Union Territory by December 2022.

“Every aspect was kept in mind and taking all measures, it was ensured by the officials of Jal Jeevan Mission to make tap water accessible to every household even in winter season,” he said.

Setting an example of commitment and efficient working, Ladakh Administration even in minus 30 degrees Celsius, made regular water supply available to people, especially when the taps freeze in the winter season.

The mission was achieved through ‘Infiltration Gallery’ method initiated by the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Ladakh, located at an altitude of about 3,000 meters above from the sea level. A larger portion of the population in the ‘Cold Desert’ remain affected due to regular water supply because of frozen water pipes.

“The Jal Jeevan Mission made life easier for the people by ensuring regular drinking water supply through taps and success was seen in many villages of Leh district,” an official said.

The Jal Jeevan Mission Twitter handle said: “The remote inhabitants of #Ladakh will soon have tap water supply in their homes. Despite challenging terrain and temperature at -12 degrees, work is ongoing at Dipling village, at an altitude of 4,000 m above sea level. The HDPE pipes are being transported through a helicopter.”

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of India, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat taking to microblogging site wrote, “we knew that it is a difficult task and it was a testing time for our abilities. Proud that the Jal Jeevan Mission soldiers are cracking every toughest test and taking the pipeline to such places where weather makes everything impossible.”

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