The Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (DWSD) held a review meeting to ascertain progress and problems faced by contractors in implementing water supply projects across Jharkhand.
According to senior officials of DWSD, most of the water supply projects are getting affected due non-availability of land by the district administration. “Projects are suffering mostly because of non-availability of land,” said Engineer-in-Chief DWSD, Shardendu Narayan.
Water supply projects in Garhwa, Sahebganj, Pakur and some other parts of Jharkhand are progressing at snails pace due to non-availability of land.
The department is working on water treatment plants, water tanks and towers besides a host of urban water supply projects in the State.
One such project in Bahragora and Palamu is said to be completed. “The Deputy Commissioners of Garhwa and Pakur have intervened in the matter so hopefully we will get land in these areas,” maintained Narayan.
Significantly, the department is working in water supply projects in quality affected areas in Sahebganj district which is aimed at providing fluoride free water in as many as 58 villages of the district.
Incidentally, the department has asked the contractors to ensure water connection in at least 50 per cent of the houses that come under the project area.
The department has also instructed the contractors to hold meetings with the representatives of the Panchayatiraj Institutions to exert their influence on the residents to meet the target of the required number of the connections.
“What so many water supply projects are forIJ There are not enough water connections in many areas so we have decided to focus on the number of connections as well,” added Narayan.