Secretary PHE, I&FC Farooq Ahmad Shah today reviewed the functioning of various irrigation and water supply schemes in Budgam. He directed the officials to ensure regular potable drinking water supply to people of all areas in Budgam. While chairing a meeting of officers at New Conference Hall in Budgam, the Secretary took comprehensive review of various water supply schemes and ongoing projects including Sukhnag-II.The meeting was attended by DDC Budgam Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, Chief Engineer, PHE, Abdul Wahid, Chief Engineer I&FC MM Shahnawaz, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers and other officers from the engineering wings.DDC Budgam Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar briefed the meeting about various problems being faced by the people due to scarcity of drinking water, blockages of irrigation channels/ canals and submerging of roads due to incessant rains in low lying areas.While stressing on ensuring regular supply of fresh drinking water to all areas of the district, the Secretary directed concerned to identify the areas where locals are facing the shortage of drinking water, so that hand pumps are installed in such areas. Some of the areas include Narbal, Mahawara, Rakh-e-Arath and Surpora villages.The Secretary also directed the concerned to ensure proper irrigation facilities to the farmers and asked officers to ensure restoration of all the irrigation channels by removing silt and illegal encroachments. He directed the officers to conduct field visits to keep a check on the encroachments of irrigation canals.
While emphasizing on conducting awareness camps about the judicious use of drinking water, the Secretary said that field staff and PHE casual labourers need to be punctual to their duties so that they monitor and ensure regular supply of drinking water and irrigation facility in their respective areas.He also directed the officers to take strict action against the employees for dereliction of their duties.He further asked the concerned officers to maintain tour dairies of their field visits and submit the progress reports in the DDC office on weekly basis.Meanwhile, the Secretary urged for judicious utilization of funds and making expenditures as per the availability only to avoid creation of liabilities.He directed the concerned to prepare the DPRs of all the defunct water supply scheme and irrigation facility projects in the district and submit the same to the government at an earliest so that their revival and restoration process is taken up accordingly.While taking a review of the flood protection scenario/schemes, the Secretary directed timely strengthening of vulnerable embankments of rivers and flood channels and asked concerned to ensure availability of sandbags in all low-lying areas of the district including Bemina, Hamdaniya Colony, Durbal, Narbal, Narkara and RakhShalina.