Secretary Public Health Engineering, and Irrigation & Flood Control Departments, Farooq Ahmad Shah, today visited the frontier district of Kupwara and took a detailed review of the PHE, I&FC sectors in the district.The visit was in pursuance of the directions by Chief Secretary to make J&K a zero-shortage drinking water state by 2019.During the visit, the Secretary chaired a meeting during which efforts to achieve the targets set for Aspirational District Kupwara in covering all habitations with piped water supply on sustainable basis qualifying prescribed quality standards was discussed in detail.Shah directed SE Hydraulic Circle and Executive Engineers of PHE and I&FC to prepare list of languishing projects. He also directed the concerned to get revised DPRs accorded immediately from Chief Engineers of PHE & I&FC.
He reiterated the directions given by Union Secretary, Water and Sanitation and Chief Secretary during their Kupwara visit wherein Rs 50 crore were announced for coverage of all PHE habitations and Rs 3.5 crore for state-of-art-laboratory at Kupwara and asked SE Hydraulic Circle Kupwara to start tendering process and implementation of the roadmap already prepared by the Department.He further asked Executive Engineers to do all prerequisite work including preparation of DPRs and asked SE Hydraulic Circle / PHE Exens to submit the DPRs of five regional schemes within seven days to Chief Engineer.On the occasion, DDC Kupwara raised the issue of providing an adequate supply of pipes and pipe specials on the demand of Executive Engineers. The Secretary assured that CE PHE shall be directed to issue the material immediately to Aspirational District on priority.Emphasis was laid on revamping of filtration plants. The Secretary authorized SE to take up revamping works immediately to provide quality water to the public and avoid incidents of water-borne disease outbreaks.