Agartala, 23rd May 2026: Despite the government’s much-publicized promise of providing drinking water to every household, the reality remains far from satisfactory in many areas. A glaring example has emerged from Ward No. 5 of Gobindapur under the Bagbasa Assembly Constituency in North Tripura, where pipeline connections have been installed in homes, but not a single drop of water has flowed through them for months.
Residents of the area allege that they have been suffering from an acute drinking water crisis for a prolonged period. Frustrated by the lack of basic water supply, villagers were compelled to contact the Chief Minister’s helpline directly. Following intervention from the Chief Minister’s Office, work on a borewell-based drinking water project was initiated and largely completed. However, for reasons yet unknown, the project has remained stalled for nearly six months before becoming operational.
According to local residents, around 30 to 35 families in the locality have already been provided with household pipeline connections. However, the supply system has never been activated because the essential electric motor and solar power system required to pump water from the borewell have not been installed. Furthermore, the borewell has not been connected to the main pipeline, despite the source being only a few meters away. As a result, government infrastructure worth several lakh rupees remains unused and ineffective.
Villagers further stated that they had approached local Panchayat Pradhan Tanvi Sinha regarding the crisis. Acting on the issue, the Panchayat initially arranged for drinking water to be supplied through tankers. However, that service too has reportedly been discontinued for the past two to three months, leaving residents struggling to access safe drinking water during the scorching summer season.
The aggrieved residents expressed frustration that while all the necessary infrastructure is visibly in place, the failure to install a motor, solar system, and complete a short pipeline connection has deprived them of a functioning water supply. As a result, many families are forced to consume untreated water, leading to recurring water-borne illnesses and deteriorating health conditions among both children and elderly residents.
Demanding immediate action, the people of Gobindapur Ward No. 5 have once again appealed to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha to intervene and ensure that the remaining work is completed without further delay so that regular drinking water supply can finally be provided to the area.
