Maintaining that Government is committed to provide safe drinking water to people across the State, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Mr. Sham Lal Choudhary has asked the concerned to lift the water samples and test it on daily basis so that safe drinking water is supplied to people.Chairing a meeting of officers of Kashmir Division here today to review the functioning of the PHE department, the Minister said that five Mobile Water Testing Laboratories and one State level Water Testing Laboratory (WTL) are being established to test the cleanliness and purity of potable water in State. He said that the government is also working to establish 9 more water testing laboratories at district levels in Kashmir Division in the next phase. Minister of State for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi was also present in the meeting.Mr. Sham Choudhary urged upon the concerned to monitor the functioning of Water Supply Schemes and to regularly test the quality of water being provided to people. He asked them to stop supply of water from the schemes which do not fulfill the parameters of safe drinking water and provide drinking water through water tankers to these areas.
He said that the Central Government would provide new Water Supply Schemes in lieu of the schemes whose water is not fit for consumption.Asking the concerned for providing water testing reports on daily basis, the Minister said that the Department would introduce third party monitoring system to counter-check the quality of water so that safe potable water is provided to people. Asserting that people have pivotal role in keeping the water sources clean and hygienic, he also directed the concerned to keep a strict vigil over the cleanliness of all water sources. The teamwork of all stakeholders is required to maintain the quality of potable water, he added. Taking stock of problems being confronted to field staff, the Minister assured them that their genuine issues would be looked into for early redressal. He asked the concerned for projecting factual report with regard to water testing.Among others, Chief engineer, PHE, Kashmir Er. G M Bhat and other senior officers of the department attended the meeting.