Last few days back the morning cloudy and gloomy weather bring smile to thousands citizen of Kohima as everybody is eagerly waiting for showers of blessing from above, though it gives cold and chilling experienced. But when the sun rises higher the cloud disappear and give sunny weather which turned thousand faces to frowned again showing discouragement as there is no sign of rain. Kohima the capital of Nagaland with the population of 78,584 (2001 census) face acute water shortage every dry season of the year. It begins from November – April which is 6 months (i.e. half of the year) and just imagine the common people suffer for water that long in a year. The government water supply never meet the needs of the public. Majority of the Kohima populace don’t have fixed pipe connection as there is no provision for that. The number of people selling water grow higher as demand by the people increases day by day. They make a good business out of it, as nobody can survive without water. Even to buy also we need advance booking. Some sale water for Rs. 10-15 per bucket which is really high and expensive which common people can’t afford. But thanks to those people selling water otherwise many people may compel to shift their place. Many people spend sleepless night waiting hours together for fetching water in the pond or small stream. I asked myself why government or concern authority don’t take up water problem seriously in order to find solution as there is solution for every problem. Many times both public and the government talked about developmental works, projects and other issues for Kohima Town but hardly spoke about water problem being faced by the major group of the people.
To establish a new village or for human settlement in any place people first look for availability of water in that particular area. Because water is the most essential element for human survival, without which it is unfit to settle. I wonder, Kohima the capital of Nagaland if there is no sufficient budget or no provision to supply water according to the needs of the people like other cities and towns? If the big cities with the population of more than 10 million people can provide sufficient water to all the dwellers , why not Kohima a small town with less population? Kohima town is surrounded by hills and mountains where water is available abundantly and it is only few kilometers away. I understand the problem is not easy and can’t be solve within a short period of time and need huge budget for it, but should we leave this problem as it is? Maya Angelou an American poet says “Nothing will work unless you do “. Can we expect some changes without doing anything for it ? Its there no solution to this problem ? To whom shall we blame ? How many years it will go on like this ? More than 18 years ago what I saw as a kid and the present condition of water shortage remain the same. Kohima town is already more than 100 years old but in terms of water facility still a baby. If the concern authority don’t take up the initiative and start pondering on it no change will take place and the same problem will remain even in future. Therefore, I appeal the concern authority to look into the said matter urgently at the earliest and do needful things to make Kohima Town free from water scarcity. Planning by now can dispel the worriness of the public mind in future about water shortage .Let’s make Kohima Town a model, better and attractive place to live in.
To establish a new village or for human settlement in any place people first look for availability of water in that particular area. Because water is the most essential element for human survival, without which it is unfit to settle. I wonder, Kohima the capital of Nagaland if there is no sufficient budget or no provision to supply water according to the needs of the people like other cities and towns? If the big cities with the population of more than 10 million people can provide sufficient water to all the dwellers , why not Kohima a small town with less population? Kohima town is surrounded by hills and mountains where water is available abundantly and it is only few kilometers away. I understand the problem is not easy and can’t be solve within a short period of time and need huge budget for it, but should we leave this problem as it is? Maya Angelou an American poet says “Nothing will work unless you do “. Can we expect some changes without doing anything for it ? Its there no solution to this problem ? To whom shall we blame ? How many years it will go on like this ? More than 18 years ago what I saw as a kid and the present condition of water shortage remain the same. Kohima town is already more than 100 years old but in terms of water facility still a baby. If the concern authority don’t take up the initiative and start pondering on it no change will take place and the same problem will remain even in future. Therefore, I appeal the concern authority to look into the said matter urgently at the earliest and do needful things to make Kohima Town free from water scarcity. Planning by now can dispel the worriness of the public mind in future about water shortage .Let’s make Kohima Town a model, better and attractive place to live in.
Ng. Solomon Sha
D Block Kohima.
