Farooq Shah reviews functioning of PHE, I&FC

JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 14: Secretary, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) and Relief and Rehabilitation, Farooq Ahmed Shah, today reviewed the functioning of the PHE and I&FC Departments in separate meetings here. The Secretary also took stock of the progress made in various projects under these sectors.

The meetings were attended by Chief Engineer PHE Jammu, Ashok Gandotra, Chief Engineer I&FC Jammu, SEs, Executive Engineers and other officers of the concerned departments.

During the meetings, Shah assessed the practical and ground level implication of the schemes along with financial progress.

He stressed upon the concerned officers to conduct regular site visits to stay well versed with the actual situation and impending issues of their departments. He instructed them to speed up the pace of work on all ongoing projects for their early completion.

The Secretary directed the PHE department for completion of work on Water Supply Schemes at the earliest to augment the water supply in Jammu province. He said, during this fiscal, the focus will be on the installation of more hand pumps for wider coverage of small habitations.

A detailed discussion was also held on regularization of all drinking water supply connections, repair of defunct tube wells and many alike.

Chief Engineer, PHE, briefed the Secretary about the status of water supply in urban and rural sectors.

The meeting was informed that against the requirement of 65 MGD for urban sector, 50 MGD water is available thus there is a shortfall of 15 MGD.

To overcome the shortfall, the Secretary instructed the concerned officers to add 4 MGD of water from Sitlee and Boria filtration plants to supplement the water-stressed areas of Jammu city like Janipur, Roopnagar, Bantalab, Bathindi, Narwal, Sunjwan and other such areas.

The meeting was further informed that several projects for the augmentation of water supply in rural areas have also been framed under NRDWP, NABARAD and LIC sectors. A total of 142 schemes under NRDWP sectors are targeted during the year 2018-19 out of 587 schemes are ongoing which are covering 236 habitations and 1.69 lakh population will be provided the safe drinking water. In addition to this, 117 schemes amounting to Rs 378 crore submitted to government under NABARD sector to be completed in three years.

The chair was further informed that under mega projects, construction of Tawi feeder channel D-9A of escape channel for expansion of Jammu Airport was taken up and completed.

In order to ensure assured irrigation to farming community, I&FC department has undertaken a number of schemes under major, medium and minor irrigation. These schemes have been taken up under PMKSY/AIBP viz modernization of Ranbir Canal and under NABARD, three new schemes have been approved. For these schemes, approximately Rs 20.99 crore has been sanctioned under State Capex Budget for the year 2018-19.

The concerned officers also briefed the Secretary about the progress of ongoing schemes under minor irrigation sector, flood control sector, flood management programme, river management activities and many alike.