Commissioner Secretary, PHE and Irrigation & Flood Control, Ajit Kumar Sahu Tuesday visited Ganderbal where he held a meeting with the officials of PHE Department to review the status of languishing projects and progress on Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the district.District Development Commissioner, Shafqat Iqbal, ADC, Farooq Ahmad Baba, Chief Engineer PHE (Kashmir) Abdul Wahid, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control (Kashmir) Mir Mohammad Shahnawaz, CPO, Superintending Engineers of Hydraulic and Mechanical, Ganderbal, Executive Engineers of PHE and I&FC besides AEEs and JEs of PHE Department Ganderbal were present in the meeting.During the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary was briefed in detail about the percentage completion of various languishing projects and progress on JJM in the district.He was informed that 35 projects of PHE are approved under languishing scheme at a cost of Rs 110.75 crore which are at different stages of completion.The meeting was informed that 173 works have been approved under languishing, NRDWP, NABARD, CAPEX and Rural Water Supply projects out of which 166 works are tendered and 137 works stand allotted besides 34 works are completed and 90 works are in various stages of execution.While reviewing progress of JJM, the Commissioner Secretary was informed that out of 40915 households as many as 33288 households are connected with the piped water supply thus achieving the target of 81.35 per cent. It was said that the Department has achieved 100% coverage in 5 blocks of the district Ganderbal.
While appreciating the Department on the progress under JJM, the Commissioner Secretary urged the concerned to accomplish the set targets under languishing scheme and registering the functional household connections on the IMIS portal. The meeting was informed that about 9226 household connections have been already uploaded on the IMIS portal.On the occasion, Sahu directed the officers to complete the work on all languishing projects within the stipulated time frame and on set quality parameters.Emphasizing upon all the officers to stop wastage and contamination of potable water he urged them to fix the leakages and involve local committees to save water. He reiterated that the administration is committed to ensure that all the households get access to potable drinking water under the JJM.Earlier, the Commissioner Secretary visited the breached spot on the Sindh Extension Canal at Malshahibagh in Ganderbal which resulted from sloughing in December last year and affected the 6.8 MGD Alasteng WTP, which supplies water to several areas in the north of Srinagar and several parts of Ganderbal district. He was briefed about the excavation plan and current progress on the repairing work.The Commissioner Secretary was informed that four rows of 8 inch pipes have been laid to bypass the damaged spot to ensure that the affected areas receive adequate drinking water supply. Sahu directed the officers to lay one more pipe to overcome the shortage of drinking water in the affected areas besides check safety of all laid temporary pipes along the breach.The Commissioner Secretary also directed the concerned to expedite the pace of progress by way of engaging more men and machinery and charge the canal within two months without fail.Later, he also visited the 10 MGD water filtration plant Rangil and reviewed its functioning.