Govt eyes tap water to every household by 2024
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 27 2022: Manipur is in the 11th position in the overall ranking of Jal Jeevan Mission and ranks 4th among the most outstanding performing states by providing household tap water connections in 410 villages.

This was stated by PHE minister L Susindro during the discussion for demand for grant of PHE on the third day of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Responding to policy cut motions moved by opposition members, Susindro said that the state has been able to cover 72.41 per cent household under Jal Jeevan Mission by covering 410 villages out of the total 2556.Construction of tanks and laying pipelines are being taken up in the remaining districts in order to provide tap water connection to every household under the mission, he said.

Govt eyes tap water to every household by 2024

He said that the department is taking up replacement of old and corroded pipelines, which were laid 2-3 decades back, while new pipelines are needed in some area due to road levelling or road widening projects affecting the existing pipelines.

He also assured of releasing pending bills during the ongoing session.

He further informed the House that the mission is targeting to provide household tap water connection to every household by the end of 2024.Most of the contractors working under this mission are local contractors and all the projects being implemented are in good progress with strict adherence to work quality.

As for delay in some projects taken up by some construction companies, these companies took one to two months for soil testing and preparing designs after which the progress was hampered due to rainfall.

There are reports of NHIDCL requiring removal of some pipelines along the Asian Highway and there are also areas where new pipelines will be laid alongside the highway.

Both the pipeline laying work and highway project will be mapped under PM Gati Shakti plan in order to avoid overlapping in each other's works.

As for the delay and difficulties in taking up the project in hill areas, the minister said that finding viable water sources is a major issue in hill areas.

Besides, there are issues related with land, he said, while seeking support from MLAs from hill areas in resolving these issues.

During the discussion of the demand, opposition members K Meghachandra and Th Lokeshwar moved policy cut motions while demanding answers from the government over the failure of proper implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, absence of policy to replace old pipelines and construction of new water reservoirs, and lack of policy to complete water supply schemes initiated under NDB.

MLA Meghachandra said that JJM was launched on August 15, 2019 with 2024 as the completion target.

Projects taken up under the mission lack quality and some construction companies have stopped their assigned work.

Unless the government intervenes, the mission will fail to realise its objectives, he said.

Road construction on the Tangjeng-Thoubal Bridge stretch of Asian Highway has been completed.

As a result, water pipelines were buried under the completed highway, which shows lack of coordination between PHE and PWD.

Utilising the pipeline will entail damaging the highway.

Even if the government lays new pipeline without affecting the highway, it would require fresh land acquisition, the Congress MLA said, while drawing attention of the House for better coordination among the different departments in taking up projects.

According to MLA Th Lokeshwar old pipelines have become unhygienic due to corrosion and enquired about any plan to replace them.

He also enquired on tardy pace of water supply scheme projects taken up under NDB and JJM, and reason behind delay in releasing fund for JJM projects.

Later, the opposition members withdrew their motions and the demand was passed unanimously.