STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: PHED's (Public Health Engineering Department) 17 water supply schemes taken in 2019-20 along the Assam-Meghalaya border paint a not-so-bright picture. Only five of the 17 projects are complete. While some are at various stages of completion, the Forest Department has stopped four schemes.
These PWS (Piped Water Supply) Schemes are under different programmes – SAGY (Sansad Adharsha Gram Yojana), NRDWP (National Rural Drinking Water Programme), Swajal and SOPD-G (State Owned Priority Development-General.
Two of the 17 schemes are in PHED's Dhubri Division, seven in Goalpara Division and eight in Guwahati Division.
In Dhubri Division, the scheme at Jogipara Pankata is complete, and 70 per cent work of the scheme at Borkona Teldaha is over.
In Goalpara PHE Division, a scheme each at Pachpara, Besorkona and Janjipara are complete. Around 80 per cent work of the scheme at Bardamal, 70 per cent work of the one at Dakuakata, 60 per cent work of the scheme at Bhomora Pathar and 20 per cent work of the scheme at Melopara are complete.
In Guwahati Division, the SOPD-G scheme at Bannagar is complete. Ninety per cent work each of the schemes at Batalanchi and Katalpara are complete. The PHE division has sought for power connection for these two schemes. Likewise, 50 per cent work of the PWS Scheme at Batabari Pathar is complete.
However, the Forest Department has stopped the works of four other schemes in this division after 20 per cent work at Amring NC, 30 per cent work in Jalukpaham NC, 20 per cent work at Kongthong Paham NC and 20 per cent work at Nong Teria NC.
According to PHED sources, the department has sanctioned 386 water supply schemes along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary under the JJM (Jal Jeevan Mission). Forty-eight of the sanctioned schemes are meant for retrofitting of the existing schemes, and the remaining 338 schemes are new PWS schemes.
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