Drinking water supply from four water treatment plants in Gomati and Sepahijala districts of Tripura was stopped since yesterday in view of leakage of oil in the Gomati river from a hydel power project, a state minister said today.
"It came to the notice of the government yesterday that there was spill of oil into the River Gomati from a pipe of the Gomati hydroelectricity project at Tirthamukh in Gomati district.
"The water of the river was immediately tested in the district laboratory, but no contamination was reported. We have collected more samples for testing in the laboratory of the science and technology department here," state minister for supply of Drinking Water and Public Health Engineering, Ratan Bhaumick said.
There are four plants at Amarpur, Udaipur, Sonamura and Melaghar, which lift water from Gomati river, the minister said adding, some oil contents were found in the water of the treatment plants.
While Amarpur and Udaipur are in the Gomati district, Sonamura and Melaghar are in the Sepahijala district.
Drinking water from adjacent districts was being supplied in tankers in the affected areas and the water from the four plants would start only after complete wash, Bhaumick told reporters.
The minister said the leakage took place when one unit of the Gomati Hydro Electricity Project was being repaired by Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) a few days ago, but the spilling has now completely stopped.
