Remote Tripura village still deprived of safe drinking water
Nearly eight decades after Independence, residents of remote Praja Bahadur Molsom Para under Nonacherra ADC Village in the Mungiakami Block under Khowai district are still continuing to struggle for one of the most basic necessities— safe drinking water.
For dozens of families in the hilly tribal village, access to clean drinking water remains a distant dream. Every morning, men, women, elderly residents, and even children trek to nearby hill streams carrying pitchers, buckets, and plastic containers in search of water. Some climb steep rocky slopes while others descend into narrow streams to collect whatever water is available.
After waiting for hours, the small quantity of water they manage to collect serves as the family's only source of drinking water, cooking, and other daily household needs. During the monsoon, the situation worsens as rainwater carries mud, decaying leaves, and other debris into the streams, making the water even more contaminated.
Despite the obvious health risks, villagers said, they have no alternative. Many families cannot even afford the fuel or resources required to boil the water before consumption.
According to local residents, the continued use of untreated stream water has led to frequent outbreaks of water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea and stomach infections. Children and elderly people are the worst affected. Access to medical treatment is also difficult, as healthcare facilities are located far from the village and the difficult terrain, coupled with financial hardship, prevents many from seeking timely treatment.
Villagers said the drinking water crisis is not new. They claimed that repeated appeals have been made to the administration, public representatives, and concerned authorities over the years, but no permanent drinking water supply has been provided.
As a result, while development has reached many parts of the state, the residents of this remote village continue to be deprived of what they describe as their basic right—access to safe drinking water.
"Our only appeal is to ensure that our children no longer fall sick after drinking contaminated water. For us, a single drop of safe drinking water would be the biggest development," a villager said.
The plight of Praja Bahadur Molsom Para raises serious questions about the reach of basic public services in remote areas.
Even after 79 years of Independence, the continued dependence of villagers on polluted stream water highlights the persistent gaps in access to essential infrastructure and safe drinking water in some of the state's most isolated habitations.
