Sikkim: Acute water crisis in Gangtok as Tamje Lake freezes

Sikkim capital Gangtok is facing a water supply crunch as Tamje Lake, the main water source to Rateychu tapping point has remained frozen since January.

The water supply problems have been further compounded due to freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall in the past several days.

As such, the Public Health Engineering Department or PHED has issued a notification stating that it has been compelled to supply water only once a day for a duration of one hour to 90 minutes till the situation improves.

It may be mentioned that the water supply to Gangtok is tapped at Rateychu, a perennial spring water source at an altitude of 8200 ft and about 18 km away from the capital town.

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The rivulet in turn is fed through snow melting of Tamje Lake and its surrounding areas located at an altitude of 12,500 ft.

Water is channelized from Rateychu to a water treatment plant located at Selep near Bulbulay, which consists of water pipes running for about 16 km along the rugged and difficult mountainous terrain.

The approach to Rateychu and its surrounding areas is continuously experiencing heavy snowfall seriously affecting the normal water supply.

Water in the pipes has frozen and joints dislocated due to freezing and expansion, a PHED official informed.

Meanwhile, the department has appealed to people not to waste water at this critical juncture.

Furthermore, the public has also been urged to inform the department of leakages observed or noticed in any of the PHE department pipelines.

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