Govt to fast-track completion of languishing PHE projects: Farooq Shah

Jammu : Secretary, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) and Relief and Rehabilitation, Farooq Ahmad Shah Friday said government is committed to provide safe drinking water to the people living in every nook and corner of the state for which all languishing PHE projects would be completed in one-year time.
Reviewing the performance of PHE department in Jammu division here at a meeting, he took detailed stock of languishing projects mostly water supply scheme.
The meeting was attended by Chief Engineer PHE Ashok Gandotra, SEs, Executive Engineers and other concerned officers of the Department.
During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary reviewed the practical and ground level implication of the various central and state sponsored schemes along with financial progress.
The meeting was informed that 142 Water Supply Schemes have been approved by High Powered Committee recently including Rs. 252.35 crores as balance cost. Besides 112 additional projects are being submitted to Finance Department involving Rs. 161.70 crore as balance cost for their completion.
Farooq Ahmad Shah directed the concerned officers to complete these schemes within one year.
Shah stressed upon the concerned officers to conduct regular site visits to stay well versed with the ground level 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. Dereliction of the duties will not be tolerated.
He said during this fiscal, the focus will be on installation of more hand pumps for wider coverage of small habitations. He also said hand pumps must be installed judiciously.
“To mitigate the problem of drinking water in snow bound areas in the winter season, anti-freeze pipes would be installed soon” he informed.
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.