Sham Lal inspects Doodganga, Sukhnag Water Treatment Plants

          BUDGAM, MAY 23 – Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary today stressed upon the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department  to ensure supply of clean and safe drinking water to the people of the state.

          The Minister said this while his tour of Dood Ganga and Sukhnag Water Treatment Plants in Budgam district.

          Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir, Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineers and other concerned officers accompanied the Minister during his tour.

          Sham Lal Choudhary inspected the Doodganga Water Lift Supply Scheme in Kralpora including VT Pump Station –II which lifts water for treatment at Filtration Plant. Concerned officers informed the Minister that 8 pumps have been installed for water pumping purpose and all are fully functional.

          He was informed that 2 numbers of 1.6 MVA transformers have been installed for providing uninterrupted power supply to the station and another 1.6 MVA transformer has been kept for backup.

          During his visit to the Dood GangaWater Treatment Plant, it was informed that this water supply scheme supplies water to Zone III of Greater Srinagar including Wanibal, Rawalpora, Baghat, Barzalla, Hyderpora, Peerbagh, Allochi Bagh, Gogji Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, L D Hospital, Nalipora, Chanpora and others. The capacity of the treatment plant is 10 MGD

          The Minister took first hand appraisal of filteration process at the plant and checked the quality of water being supplied to the people.

          At Kralpora, locals also demanded lifting of water pipes as they are fully submerged under the drain water polluting the drinking water. The Minister directed the concerned officers to redress the issue at an earliest so that pipes can be raised to a certain level over the drains.

          Later the Minister visited Sukhnag Water Supply Scheme which has been constructed and commissioned by the Department at a cost of around Rs 121 crore and funds for the project were sanctioned under JnNURM.

          Sham Lal Choudhary went around the Water Treatment Plant and was briefed about the various steps involved during the water filteration process.

          Speaking on the occasion, the Minster said that this scheme covers over three lakh people in 85 habitations in Zone IV of Greater Srinagar through urban service reservoirs and main service reservoirs in areas which include Nasrullahpora, Reshipora, Humhama, Jeelanabad, HMT, Zainakote, Narakara, Gurteng, Parthan, Watrihail, Putlibagh and Aalipora.

          He said that department is working 24X7 for providing quality drinking water to the people and the water supply schemes are fulfilling the needs of the people. He said that water is also being supplied to the people of few areas from the Tangnar Water Supply Scheme.

          “Dood Ganga and Sukhnag water supply schemes are very essential and are able to provide safe and quality water to people of the areas in large number”, the Minister said.

          The Minister said that the Government is committed to extend basic facilities to the people and he will ensure that the scheme gets completed at the earliest and people of the area receive potable water in their homes.

          The Minister directed the officers to put in their sincere efforts in making full use of available resources so that drinking water is made available to the people. He also directed the officers to maintain cleanliness in and around the area of water treatment plants so that clean water can be supplied for its use.

          Sham Lal Choudhary exhorted upon the senior officers of the department to conduct regular visits in their respective PHE installations and concerned habitations for streamlining water supply to the people.

On the occasion, members of the PHE Employees Association felicitated the Minister and raised various issues pertaining to the employees. The Minister assured them that their demands will be looked into.

          Local populace also met the Minister and put forth their issues including supply of Sukhnag water plant to the leftover areas, land compensation to those who have given land for construction of water supply scheme and others. The Minister after giving patient hearing assured them that their genuine issues will be redressed.

          He also said that for Budgam city, separate scheme under LIC loan Assistance is under process and soon will be able to provide water to city areas.