Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary today directed the PHE authorities for ensuring adequate supply of potable water to people of the State during the Holy Month of Ramadhan.The Minister passed these directions during the inspection of Water Supply Schemes (WSS) of Beerwah Constituency. During the visit, he inspected Water Supply Schemes of Gagerpora and Magam and took stock of their functioning.Interacting with the people at GagerporaNarbal, the Minister said that the Government is aware about the hardships being confronted to them on account of availability of potable water.He said in order to meet requirement of water supply in the area, the government is constructing Water Supply Scheme at Chinar Colony Kawoosa at a cost of Rs 6.54 crore under NABARD, adding that work on the scheme would be started soon. He said that with the completion of the scheme over 12000 souls of 4 villages of the area get benefitted directly besides water supply in the other villages of the area would also be augmented.Directing the concerned for starting the work on the scheme, the Minister set 4-month target to complete the Scheme. He also asked the concerned to press into tanker service to provide water supply to people of area till the scheme is completed.
Sham Choudhary said that more WSS and Filteration plants would be installed and defunct WSS would be made functional to ensure water supply in the area.The Minister was informed that the 7 schemes worth Rs 22.33 crore and 4 schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 12.79 crore have been taken up under Centrally Sponsored Scheme and District Sector on which Rs. 9.62 crore and 5.10 crore stands expended respectively. With the completion of these schemes, over 30,000 souls of the area get benefitted, the Minister was informed.The Minister was further informed that the work on 6 irrigation schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 86.75 crore has been taken up in the area, on which Rs. 36. 58 crore have been expended up to March this year.Earlier, giving brief account of PHE schemes in District Budgam, the Minister was informed that out of 26 and 33 on-going Water Supply Schemes under District sector and NRDWP respectively in district, 5 have been completed last year and 8 more schemes are expected to be completed during this fiscal. As many as 43 Filteration and treatment plants are functional in the district to provide potable water to people of the district, the Minister was informed.Superintending Engineer Hydraulic, Budgam Jatinder Singh, Executive Engineer PHE, G A Beigh, Executive Engineer, Mechanical Deen Mohammad, Executive Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Budgam, besides other senior engineers of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control accompanied the Minister.