Tripura to consider tapping into Dumbur lake to reduce groundwater use: Biplab Kumar Deb

Deb, who is a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests, focused on effectively implementing a host of centrally sponsored schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and agricultural support schemes.

Recounting his tenure as chief minister, Deb said he had previously visited the upper catchment area of the Howrah river in the Baramura range, 30 km from Agartala, and said that his government would set up three dams to check floods in Agartala and adjoining areas.

This came after Agartala and surrounding areas were partially submerged owing to heavy flooding in the previous monsoon.

With repeated floods in West Tripura and other parts of the state, Deb’s proposal to tap into surface water is timely, experts said.

The former chief minister said that groundwater in the region contains excessive iron content, rendering it nearly unusable for direct consumption compared to river water, which he said is easier to purify.

“We have discussed a proposal from West District District Magistrate Vishal Kumar regarding the possibility of flowing water from the Dumbur lake through pipelines to Agartala city. It would benefit Agartala city as well as other major urban townships like Bishalgarh and Udaipur, which are along the proposed route,” he said.

The Dumbur lake is 120 km south of Agartala. It is a 41 sq km artificial lake located in the Gandatwisa subdivision of Dhalai district and primarily serves as the water reservoir for the Gumti hydroelectric power project in the area.

The proposal will undergo a detailed feasibility assessment study before it can be presented to the chief minister and chief secretary for further consideration, Deb said.

Deb was accompanied by Agartala Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, local legislators, West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar and other government officials, who discussed the implementation of over 45 centrally sponsored schemes in the state.