Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Chaudhary, on Sunday said that government is committed to provide safe drinking water to the people across the State.While chairing a maiden high-level meeting of officials of the departments, the Minister had a detailed review of working of these vital units of the government which have been entrusted with a noble job of ensuring the very basic services to the people.Minister of State for Haj & Auqaf, PHE and Irrigation & Flood Control, Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi, was also present in the meeting.The Minister urged the senior officials to monitor the functioning of their respective departments on regular basis so that the people may not suffer on this account. He directed the officers to keep a strict vigil over the cleanliness of all water sources so that safe potable water is supplied to the people.
“The people have bigger part in keeping the water sources clean and hygienic so they should be more responsible towards their duty,” the Minister asserted. He said that the need of the hour is to work collectively towards preservation of all traditional water bodies in view of the shrinking water resources. The government would have a mechanism wherein we invite people’s participation to de-pollute and clean the water bodies.Farooq Andrabi presented a detailed description of functioning of various wings of the department at the grassroots level. He urged upon the officials to play their part in keeping water resources safe and pollution free. “It requires the efforts and teamwork of all stakeholders including government officials, waters utility operators and the public to maintain the quality of drinking water,” he maintained.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, PHE/ Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Sanjeev Verma, Chief Engineer, PHE, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Javaid Jaffar, SEs, Executive Engineers, among other senior officers of the department.Later, the officials informed the Ministers that 10 MGD WSS Tangnar worth Rs.148.37 crore has been approved by CSMC, Mission Directorate (JnNURM) Union Ministry of Urban Development, which is expected to be completed by June 2016.The Ministers also took stock of problems of the officials and assured them that all their issues would be looked into for an early redressal.