Former minister and MLA Amirakadal Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today said that many parts of the summer capital Srinagar especially in Amirakadal are reeling under an acute drinking water shortage and demanded that the 10 MGD Tangnar Water Treatment Plant be commissioned at an earliest.“Many parts of the city especially in Amirakadal constituency are reeling under a severe shortage of drinking water. The government needs to take effective steps to ensure that this serious issue is addressed at an earliest,” Bukhari demanded.He said that even after commissioning of 10 MGD Water Treatment Plant of Sukhnag in the month June 2016, the PHE department is unfortunately yet to receive the much needed additional technical and experienced staff for operation and maintenance of this scheme.Bukhari said funds to the tune of Rs. 8.41 Crores which were required to be arranged on account of execution of works for extending distribution system in various areas of Amirakadal constituency besides the other parts of Srinagar which can avail benefits under schemes like Sukhnag and Tangnar have not been arranged sofar thus adding into the miseries of people.
“I appeal the Honb’le Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti to personally intervene and order commissioning of Tangnar Water Treatment Plant at an earliest. Her intervention into the matter will surely augment and improve the water supply service level with the availability of water from schemes like Sukhnag and Tangnar,” Bukhari demanded, adding that the government should go for re-organization of the PHE department in Srinagar city.“Presently there is only one division i,e Water Works Division Srinagar, for a population of about 16 lacs while as PDD and R&B departments have several divisions in the same area that cater to the same population. There is an urgent requirement to have two divisions for operation and maintenance of water supply system for such a large population,” Bukhari observed.He also invited the government attention to the fact that due to slash of 10% in the allocation (Central Assistance) of the project cost of Water Supply schemes of Sukhnag and Tangnar amounting to Rs.10.00 crores and Rs.13.35 crores respectively, funds must be arranged from the state sector so that there is no impact on project components of the flagship schemes like Sukhnag and Tangnar. (CNS)