Agartala, March 19, 2026: Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha on Thursday informed the State Assembly that only 10.06 percent of groundwater is currently being extracted in Tripura, well below the permissible ceiling of 60.60 percent set by the Central Water Board.

Replying to a query during the fourth day of the budget session, the Chief Minister addressed concerns raised by Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy, who alleged that the drinking water situation in Agartala remains inadequate, with irregular supply in several localities. Roy also pointed out that after the installation of treatment plants at College Tilla and Bardowali during the previous Congress-led government, no new facilities had been set up.

In response, Dr. Saha stated that two new water treatment plants are currently under construction at Master Para and College Tilla. He acknowledged that ongoing infrastructure works under Agartala Smart City Limited have caused temporary disruptions in water supply across parts of the city.

“Line departments are on standby to address and repair any inconvenience caused due to construction of covered drains, underground electricity cables, and other works,” he said.

The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of household-level maintenance, noting that unclean water storage tanks can affect water quality. To address this, a ‘Clean Your Tank’ campaign is being carried out in the city by members of AMRUT Self Help Groups.

Providing details of the existing infrastructure, Dr. Saha said that the DWS Division-I along with four sub-divisions are responsible for water supply in Agartala. The system includes 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.

He further stated that 25 percent of the city’s water supply comes from surface sources, while 75 percent depends on groundwater. As per guidelines issued in 2012, up to 0.30 mg/litre of iron content in water is considered safe for consumption.

Highlighting demand, the Chief Minister said Agartala, with a population of 5,79,418, requires about 78.22 million litres of water daily, based on the AMRUT Mission guideline of 135 litres per capita per day.

He assured the House that the government is working to strengthen infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to residents.