Agartala, July 22, 2025: Residents of Kailashahar, the district headquarters of Unakoti are grappling with an acute drinking water crisis due to the breakdown of two out of three pump machines at the town’s main water treatment plant on the banks of the Manu River.

Despite being the primary source of potable water for the town, the treatment plant has reportedly been functioning with only one operational pump for the past several weeks. As a result, water supply in various parts of the town is now limited to just 15 to 20 minutes a day—if available at all.

“This situation is unbearable. We wait for hours with empty buckets, and often return without a drop of water. In many localities, people have no choice but to buy water just to survive,” said Pradip Deb, a resident of Kazirgaon.

Areas like West Gobindapur, Kazirgaon, Kancharghat, Boulapasha and Durgapur are among the worst affected. Locals blame the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department for failing to maintain the equipment despite repeated issues.

“This is not the first time. A similar crisis occurred a month ago, and only after the District Magistrate intervened were repairs done swiftly. But now, there is complete silence from the administration,” said social activist Ratna Nath.

Many residents allege that negligence on the part of the drinking water and sanitation department is to blame. Social groups and concerned citizens are now planning to lodge formal complaints with higher authorities. Opposition parties have also begun criticizing the government for inaction.

“If the authorities don’t act immediately, we will be forced to hit the streets,” warned local resident and youth leader Anup Das.