HC to PHED: Finish water project in 6 months
Source: Hueiyen News Service / TNN
Imphal, February 27 2014 :
The Manipur High Court asked the state public health engineering department (PHED) to complete a long-delayed water supply project at Chowainamei Makhan village in Senapati district within six months.
A bench headed by acting chief justice L K Mohapatra and justice N Kotiswar Singh made its ruling public a few days ago in response to a PIL filed by K Adani, a social worker of the village.
Adani's advocate, Serto T Kom, urged the bench to issue a directive to officials to complete the project immediately.
The project's work order had been issued by an executive engineer (Senapati) in August 2006 .
The government, Kom added, had sanctioned Rs 165 lakh for the 'Augmentation ofwater supply scheme at Chowainamei Makhan' project.
Case dossiers state the project will mainly benefit Chowanamei Khullen, Chowainamei Khnou, New Makhan and Makhan Khullen villages belonging to the Mao tribe.
These villages lack proper access to portable water due to their remote location.
The listed respondents in the case include the commissioner/secretary of PHED, the department's chief engineer, executive engineer (Senapati) and the concerned government contractor.
While pronouncing its verdict, the court maintained that the petitioner shall be at liberty to file a fresh writ application if the project was not completed with the specified period.
The government advocate told the court that the construction was in progress and would be completed soon.