New water project for Aizawl

Aizawl, Aug 26: The Mizoram government today announced that the long-awaited second phase of the Greater Aizawl Water Supply Scheme (GAWSS) will be commissioned by December.

Superintending Engineer of PHE Valbuanga said 80 per cent of the physical infrastructure for the GAWSS phase II had already been completed.

'' Except for laying of one-and-a-half km pipeline, everything has nearly been completed for the commissioning and the superstructure will be done by September, '' he said.

He also stated that the GAWSS phase II will have a capacity of 12 mlpd (million litre per day) as against the proposed 24 mlpd.

PHE secretary C Ropianga said Doner had strongly objected to the release of fund for the second phase after it took over the project in 2002.

The second phase of the GAWSS was proposed in 1992 and sanctioned subsequently by the Centre, but the contractors moved court against the state government over the matter.

As a result, the original proposal of Rs 71 crore was revised to Rs 113 crore because the rate had gone up due to delay in court proceedings.

PHE officials said the first phase of the GAWSS now provides drinking water to more than half of the city's population.

UNI