Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Dr. Rakesh Minhas on Wednesday chaired a meeting with officers of the Jal Shakti Department to discuss the drinking water supply situation in the district. The meeting was held in the conference hall of the DC office complex.
At the outset, SE Jal Shakti Kathua Ram Kumar Gupta apprised the DC about the status of drinking water availability, highlighting issues such as the depletion of the water table, unscheduled power cuts, defunct handpumps, and the severe hot weather conditions. The incidents of theft of JSD assets were also brought up during the meeting.
It was decided that a Joint Control Room of the Civil and Mechanical Wing of JSD would operate round the clock to ensure smooth drinking water supply in all subdivisions. The control room will also monitor incidents of disrupted water supply, as reported by the concerned JEs, to ensure that drinking water is supplied through tankers/trolleys to affected areas.
The Public can contact Control Room No 9796610922 for Kathua Sub Division, 7006433704 for Hiranagar Sub Division, 9417216513 for Basohli Sub Division and 9469210906 for Billawar Sub Division respectively. Regarding the repair of handpumps, the DC informed that Rs 20 lakh has been sanctioned from the District Mining Fund for the repair of 215 handpumps and directed the concerned authorities to complete the repair work within one week to provide relief to the people.
The DC emphasized to the field functionaries of JSD, especially the JEs, the importance of ensuring regular water supply in their respective areas, keeping their phones switched on, and not leaving their stations, particularly during the prevailing hot weather conditions.
It was noted in the meeting that the JSD Mechanical wing has made provisions for drinking water supply trolleys: 6 for Billawar, 6 for Basohli, 3 for Hiranagar, and 2 for Kathua, to provide immediate water supply in affected areas. The DC also directed the XEN JSD Mechanical Kanwal Kumar Chopra to ensure that the replacement of defunct submersible pumps and transformers should not take more than 24 hours.
Taking serious note of the theft incidents, the DC called upon the SE JSD to fix responsibility of the officer concerned and field functionaries and adopt round the clock safety measures to safeguard JSD assets. SDM Hiranagar Rakesh Kumar, XEN JSD Civil Kathua Girdhari Lal Gupta, AEE, JEs of the Sub Divisions were also present.