Tura, Jan 22: A village secretary from Garo Hills entrusted with ensuring implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission water connection in his village at Ganol Apal, near Tura, has been selected to participate in the 76th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, this week.
The Secretary of the Ganol Apal Village Water and Sanitation Committee under Rongram Block, Lipton Sangma is among a select group of individuals from across the country who will head to New Delhi for the national celebrations.
During the Republic Day celebrations, Lipton Sangma will get the opportunity to interact with the Union Minister for Jal Shakti (Water Resources) Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and narrate his success story in ensuring uninterrupted flow of portable drinking water to dozens of homes across the Ganol Apal village and its adjoining areas.
Prior to the JJM project, villagers of Ganol Apal had to trek long distances to fetch water for cooking and drinking, wash clothes and other chores. Children also had to accompany their parents to the water holes and lost out on precious time to study, while the parents were unable to undertake any additional means of livelihood due to the water crisis.
The VWSC Secretary Lipton Sangma was identified to be one of the pillars of the JJM success story in the village, ensuring regular checking of pipes, repairing broken ones, identifying homes without proper sanitation and getting their names registered, organising cleaning drives and awareness drives, and collaborating with ASHA, Anganwadi and Village Health Council members to ensure medical care and child support through the various branches of the government.
