The Haryana Government on Friday approved Rs 811.40 crore for implementation of water supply and sewerage schemes in urban areas and Rs 503.20 crore for similar schemes in rural areas in the State during the current financial year.
The State Water Supply and Sewerage Board, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar lal here approved the proposal.
While emphasising the need to conserve water, the Chief Minister directed the concerned officers to constitute district level special task force and launch a Statewide campaign, especially during the months of June and July to keep a check on the wastage of drinking water in both rural and urban areas. The special task force would also have an officer of Power Department, he directed.
The Chief Minister also took a serious note of complaints received regarding use of sub-standard water pipes in Jind and directed the officers of Public Health Engineering Department to strictly adhere to the quality norms while laying the pipes.
He also asked the department to ensure that all type of payments are made online instead of through cheques. Also, the payments should be made in a time bound manner.
Manohar lal said that strict action should be taken against those found indulged in using “Kundi connection” to operate submersible water pumps to draw water in rural areas. Such people should be motivated to take metered connections, but in case they continue to use the “Kundi connections”, First Information Report should be registered against them, he directed.
The Chief Minister also directed the officers to launch a mass awareness campaign to motivate the people to conserve water and added that students should be involved in this campaign to make it more effective. He said that apart from this, banners, posters and stickers with the message of ‘Save Water’ should be displayed at public places.
It was informed in the meeting that Rs 15 crore received under Mahatma Gandhi Grameen Basti Yojna (MGGBY) have been allocated for 217 ongoing schemes. As many as 2726 works of water supply and sewerage have been taken up by the Public Health Engineering Department and these included 2090 ongoing works, 12 revised works and 624 new works. Also, a sum of Rs 50 crore has been allocated under NABARD schemes for 2016-17 while Rs 155 crore have been allocated for various water works under NCRPB.