BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 19th March 2026: Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Thursday informed the Assembly that Tripura has so far extracted only 10.06 percent of its groundwater resources, well below the permissible ceiling of 60.60 percent set by the Central Water Board.
The statement came during the fourth day of the budget session, where Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy raised concerns over the miserable state of drinking water facilities in Agartala, alleging that supply has been disrupted in several areas. Roy pointed out that while two treatment plants were installed at College Tilla and Bardowali during the Congress-led government’s tenure, no new plants had been set up since then, and questioned the government’s plans for expansion.
Responding to the query, Dr. Saha announced that two new water treatment plants are under construction at Master Para and College Tilla. He acknowledged that residents have faced inconvenience due to ongoing works under the Agartala Smart City Limited project, including the construction of covered drains and underground electricity cables. “Line departments are on standby to address disruptions instantly,” he assured.
The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of household maintenance, noting that unclean water tanks often compromise drinking water quality. To address this, a ‘Clean Your Tank’ campaign is being organized in Agartala by members of Amrut SHG.
Providing further details, Dr. Saha said: “DWS Division 1 and four sub-divisions currently supply water in Agartala. The city has 13 surface water treatment plants drawing from the Howrah river, 31 modified iron removal plants, six packaged iron removal plants, and 77 deep tube wells. On the supply side, 25 percent comes from surface water and 75 percent from groundwater. As per 2012 guidelines, water containing up to 0.30 ml of iron is considered safe for consumption. Agartala’s population of 5,79,418 residents requires 78.22 million litres of water daily, based on AMRUT guidelines of 135 litres per person per day.”
Dr. Saha reiterated that while Tripura’s groundwater extraction remains far below the permissible limit, the government is committed to expanding infrastructure and ensuring safe drinking water for all residents.
