Jiri officers seem more interested in contract works
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 05, 2013: Manipur Government's Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) is there for the namesake as it stays carefree without providing water to the people here for more than two months now.

The higher officials of the Department take more interest in contract works rather than supplying water to the people.

As PHED has stopped supplying potable water in various regions of Jiribam, people have to fetch water from far places, which affected more to Government quarters, officials and police department here.

According to a source received by TSE, an underground outfit of Manipur had ordered to stop supplying water when the officials of the Department ignored to hold talk with the former.

Following the strong words of the outfit with fear, the officials discharging duties in Jiribam stopped supplying water to the people.

The order of the outfit was withdrawn some times back, however, the Department could not supply water to the people stating that a part of the machine used to pump up water was sent for repair at Imphal and not completed yet.

Even though the people have not been getting water since long, the higher officials of the Department i.e.EE, AE, SO etc, as they stay most of their time in Imphal, could not see the inconveniences faced by the people here.

Meanwhile, in congruence with the contractors, the higher officials chase after the contract works of various new projects/schemes.

Therefore, the people also need to make joint effort in reducing the inconveniences by paying out the owed bills regularly.

Pipelines were buried at many places of Jiribam some times back, though unfortunately the people have not received its benefit till today as the work was not completed properly.

At present, rainwater harvesting works have been taken up here converting Jiribam into a place to carry out projects and to withdraw 'Aakash bill' by ministers, contractors and EE, Chief Engineer.

As the required sum for maintenance for PHED Jiribam is not sanctioned, any part which stop functioning has to be sent to Imphal for repair.

Also as the officials at Imphal were not true to one's duty, the repair work or replacement of the broke down part is prolonged for more than two or three months.

The breakages found in main pipelines along the NH 37 have not been repaired for almost four years now.

The people have complaint of not treating the water with chemical/bleaching powder.

AE and EE of the PHED have not attended the meetings for Departments called by ADC Jiribam even once.

A written complaint about not supplying of water has been submitted by the ADC on July 31 last, and also a report about stopping of water supply was published in newspaper on July 24.Some of the staffs of the PHED have been enjoying their salary freely as there is no work to do.

People have voiced their wish to transfer the free staffs at necessary place.

PHED Minister I Hemochandra had come to Jiribam on February 3 this year and assured to improve water supply scheme to lessen the water inconveniences in the area, however, the people had not received water.

Some SMDC had informed the ZEO Jiribam when the later inspected some schools that the PHED had withdraw money for new wells construction by concealing and repairing the old ones at schools set up under NRWD and SSA, and digging of some wells left half finished.

The digging of well at Rashidpur Primary School has been left half finished, and the old wells at Islamabad, Durgapur, Chingdong Leikai etc have been repaired and money for new construction withdrawn.

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