Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Sukhnanadan Kumar Choudhary today dedicated two Water Supply Schemes (WSS) to people of Kumar Mohallah Doublepora and Manzimpora of Wachi constituency of south Kashmir today. He laid foundation of two other schemes at Kareewa Safnagri and Kongnoo-Chitragam also.MLA Wachi Aijaz Ahmad Mir was also presents on the occasions.The construction of WSS Kumar Mohallah Doublepora and Manzimpora has been completed at a cumulative cost of Rs 2.75 crore and these schemes will benefit 6875 souls of six villages. While as the construction work of WSS Kareewa Safnagri and Kongnoo-Chitragam would be completed at a total estimated cost of Rs 5.63 crore and after their completion 13348 souls of eight villages would be provided drinking water facilities by these schemes.
Addressing public meetings after inaugurating these schemes, the PHE Minister said that government has formulated a comprehensive plan for augmentation of drinking water facility in the state especially in border and hilly areas. He said engineers of the department have already been instructed to take cognizance of scarcity of drinking water in the uncovered areas of the State.Sukhnandan said that concerted efforts be made to upgrade the drinking water and irrigation facilities in the Wachi constituency adding that an amount of Rs 3.20 crore is being expended for augmentation of WSS and tapping of water from local sources during current fiscal year under district plan. He said concerned engineers have also been directed to formulate DPRs for creating new WSS and irrigation projects for timely funding from the centre.
The Minister said that government endeavors to transform the economic lot of rural people adding that in this regard several people-friendly and reformative steps are under way in core sectors across the State. He said vision of the present coalition government is making Jammu and Kashmir a prosperous state and in this regard cooperation of people is must. He appealed the people to cooperate with the government for achieving the developmental goal and peace and prosperity in the State. He also called upon the people not to give heed to false propaganda of vested interests whose only motive is to use innocent people for their personal interests.
Responding to the demands of the inhabitants of village Parimpora, the Minister ordered the concerned engineers for installing a hand pump in the village to cater to the scarcity of water crises.During the day long tour to Wachi constituency, the Minister inspected Lift Irrigation Pump at Wachi on Nallah Rambiara. Taking serious note of public complaints, the Ministers directed the concerned engineers to arrange a Drought Pump for making the Pump Station functional. He was informed that this pump station is only source of irrigation for their fields and orchards.
The Minister inspected newly constructed Water Supply Scheme Rebbon-Khajopora completed at a cost of Rs 1.81 crore. The scheme was dedicated to the people in July.The Minister gave on the spot directions to the Chief Engineer, I&FC for construction of bund on the banks of Nallah Tongri which breached during last year’s floods. He inspected vulnerable spots. He instructed the engineers to arrange alternative irrigation facility to the farmers; orchardists of Rebbon-Khojapora from the same nallah via Guffan village till permanent restorations of the bunds are made.Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Mir Javid Jaffar, Chief Engineer PHE Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a team of SEs, Exens, SDM Shopian and senior officers of various engineering wings accompanied the Minister during the tour.