Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary today informed the Legislative Assembly that the department is presently providing potable water to over 51.73 lakh souls of the State through a network of 1450 Tube-wells and 30518 hand pumps.While replying to a Question by Dr Gagan Bhagat, the Minister said out of 15958 rural habitations 8930 have been fully covered with 40 LPCD ending March 2017 and remaining 7028 with varying level of water supply (less than 40 LPCD). He said for the current financial year department has set the target to cover 355 habitations of which 77 have been provided the water supply.Elaborating further, he said during last two years the department has taken up 167 Water Supply Schemes (WSS)s involving a cost of Rs 369.57 crore in the State under various programmes, which are at different stages.He said two major cities and 78 towns are also provided facility of potable drinking water through various supply schemes developed over the years.
Giving details, he said drinking water is supplied from various types of sources like surface water, rivers/nallahs/canals, springs and ground water. He said all sources of surface water in urban areas are connected with filtration plants, while the spring water does not require any filtration. wever he said the water is supplied to the consumers after proper chlorination.“For constant monitoring of drinking water quality, 22 district level labs and 80 divisional/sub-divisional labs have been established across the State. Besides, the department is also establishing two State Level water quality labs, one each at Jammu and Srinagar which are nearing completion”, the Minister informed.Augmentation of Shah Khul project proposedMinister also informed the house that Government has proposed augmentation of existing Shah Khul under District Irrigation Plan Shopian at an estimated cost of Rs 13.68 crore to extend the irrigation facility to tail end villages. Replying to a question by Advocate Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, he said Shah Khul project was approved under AIBP in the year 2006-07 at an estimated cost of Rs.5.77 Cr which was incurred in full by the year 2012-13.
“Against the target of achieving 2650 acre of Cultivable Command Area (CCA), the project covered 2120 acre mainly due to cost escalation.The Minister said the DPR for the Shah Khul, also included in the scope villages Amshipora, Chotipora and Saidpora located on the tail end,. However, due to slow pace of funding under AIBP, the scheme over-run the cost and villages falling at tail end could not be fully covered.The Minister said that now a fresh DPR with the name of Sedow Khul, Chotipora Khul, at an estimated cost of Rs 13.68 crore has been proposed in District Irrigation Plan of district Shopian under PMKSY which will cover Amshipora, Chotipora and Saidpora villages.Responding to specific question, the Minister said presently there was no proposal with the Department to construct a Lift Irrigation Scheme at Padpawan. He, however, said a lift irrigation scheme namely Checki-Saidpora has been already constructed/existing with its pump station on Vehji Canal at Padpawan Borihallan and is functional, irrigating the Karewa land of Check and Checki Saidpora area.
The Minister further said that the Lift Irrigation Scheme Moshwara would be made functional before the coming irrigation season as a high voltage sub-station 33KV/440 has been established for running it.Mr. Javid Ahmad Rana, Mr. Mohammad Akbar Lone, Mr. Abdul Majid Paddar raised supplementary to the main question.