Assam: Implementation of Jal Jivan Mission, Functional Household Tap Connection projects a distant dream in BTR

KOKRAJHAR: At a time when people in the northern part of Kokrajhar district and other areas in the BTR are facing scarcity of drinking water due to scanty rainfall, the department of Public Health Engineering (PHE) has failed to implement many water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the BTR. Certain records of the department concerned have shown the good progress of water supply projects under JJM, but in the practical field, most of the projects are incomplete, while the water taps of Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) schemes under JJM are seen as non-functional in most of the villages.

It may be mentioned that the Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) and the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) were initiatives by the Government of India to provide piped water supply to all rural households by 2024. The FHTC component of the mission focuses on ensuring functional tap connections to every rural household, thereby ensuring access to safe and potable water. However, the completion of the projects on time in Kokrajhar district seems impossible, as the progress report of the department concerned shows the achievement of only 8.64 percent in Kokrajhar Division-I, only 4 percent in Kokrajhar Division-II, and 15.07 percent in Gossaigaon Division in the financial year 2022–23. When someone visits the practical field, they will see the water tap connections left non-functional in most of the villages where FHTC and JJM projects are being carried out in BTR. The fact is that most of the water supply projects meant for supplying drinking water are just washed out almost everywhere in Kokrajhar, and there are many instances of PWSS failure in villages that are standing with only infrastructure but not in use.

The citizens of Kokrajhar town have experience with an incomplete urban water supply project worth Rs. 4 crore set up over one and a-half decades ago. Four big reservoirs are standing at Sudempuri, Baganshali near Kokrajhar Municipal Board (KMB), Dongfanbari near Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) office, and behind IB of BTC IGP. The water treatment plant was also completed, but the laying of water pipe and tap connections has been left incomplete to date. This project is seen as impossible now. There are many PWSS in many villages in every division of Kokrajhar that have not been properly used since the beginning. The water supply schemes in Aflagaon, Belguri, Puthimari, West Batabari, etc., have been reconstructed, and pipes are laid and fitted, but they are failing to supply water to users due to reasons best known to the department concerned. On the other hand, there are many arid regions in BTR where drinking water is still a big problem. Porbatjhora subdivision, the northern part of Ramfalbil, Ultapani, Saralpara in Kokrajhar district, Dadgari, Malivita, Patabari, Kwila-Mwila in Chirang district, Chouki, Darangga in Baksa district, and many places in Udalguri district have a crisis of drinking water, and the implementation of water supply schemes is very important in those areas.

According to the data in the achievement record, the PHE department shows that there were 1,08,713 rural households in Gossaigaon division, of which 52,899 FHTC have been achieved till date, and similarly, there are 94,661 and 1,21,465 households in Kokrajhar divisions I and II, of which 26,041 and 14,869 FHTC have been achieved in both divisions so far. However, the department shows that in the year 2022–23, out of the target of 8,763 in Gossaigaon, only 1321 FHTCs with 15.07 percent were achieved in the Gossaigaon division, and similarly, out of the target of 8,763 and 37,257 FHTCs in Kokrajhar divisions I and II, only 705 and 1,464 FHTCs with 8.64 percent and 4 percent in both divisions were achieved, which shows that it is not possible to achieve cent percent in 2024.

Meanwhile, the department has claimed that of 906 schools, 899 have been provided water supply in Gossaigaon division; out of 723 schools in Kokrajhar division-I, 707 have got drinking water; and out of 1,110 schools, 1,085 have got drinking water supply in Kokrajhar division-II. The department also shows good achievement in providing drinking water in Anganwadi centres in Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar division-I, and Kokrajhar division-II, but only users will be able to tell how far it is giving service.

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