Sribhumi's Rs 82 Cr Water Project Branded ‘Pre-Poll Gimmick’ Amid Sewage Crisis

“For years, we have raised complaints with the Sribhumi Municipal Board and BJP leaders about the open discharge of sewage into Natiyakhola. Yet, nothing has changed. And now they come promising pure water? It’s laughable, just pre-election bait for 2026,” said a local youth leader from the NSUI, voicing sharp criticism of the Assam government’s new Rs 82 crore drinking water project in Sribhumi.

The statement reflects a growing frustration among residents who are sceptical of the “Drink from Tap” initiative launched by Assam Cabinet Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah. The minister, who also oversees the Public Health Engineering and Urban Affairs departments, laid the foundation stone for the Sribhumi Town Water Supply Scheme last Sunday, promising round-the-clock access to “100% pure drinking water” for over 71,000 residents.

But the ground reality tells a different story, one of administrative neglect and public health risk.

In Sribhumi, over a hundred household toilets are directly discharging raw sewage into the Natiyakhola, a stream flowing through the heart of the town. This untreated waste ultimately merges with the Lungai River, the same source from which water is drawn and treated under the government's flagship scheme. The absence of soak pits or septic tanks has turned the watercourse into a channel of contamination.

Despite repeated complaints, residents say no effective action has been taken either by the local Municipal Board or departmental officials to resolve the issue.

While the ₹82 crore project envisions a modern water treatment and distribution system to provide safe, drinkable water to every household, concerns remain about whether it can truly deliver on its promise without first addressing the sewage crisis at its source.

As the government rolls out its ambitious blueprint, the people of Sribhumi continue to live with the bitter irony of drinking water drawn from the same stream where raw human waste flows freely, even as ministers promise purity from podiums.

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