Srinagar: Government on Tuesday pledged to connect every household in Jammu and Kashmir with tapped drinking water by September 2022, while assuring that all schools and Anganwari centres will be connected within a month’s time.
This was given out in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today to review the progress achieved under the centrally sponsored scheme ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairman and members of J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority (JKWRRA), Commissioner/Secretary Jal Shakti Department and Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission and officers of the department participated in the meeting.
It was informed that the department has provided new functional household tap connections to 2,15,511 households during 2020-21; and 9,000 households during the first quarter of 2021-22. The department has also covered 92 percent schools and 93 percent Anganwari centres under the scheme, an official press release said.
It was mentioned that under Phase I, universal tap water coverage has been achieved in the districts of Srinagar and Ganderbal, whereas works are at various stages of completion in Reasi and Samba districts.
It was also informed that to fast-track execution of the projects, the department has appointed Project Development and Management Consultant (PDMC), one each for Kashmir and Jammu provinces, which will supervise project execution, contract and project management and bill verification.
The Chief Secretary directed the department to provide all schools and Anganwari centres with functional water connections within one month, besides completing the phase II & III of Jal Jeevan Mission by September 30, 2022. He further asked the department to initiate the process of tendering for works under subsequent phases to ensure adherence to project timelines.
The Chief Secretary also directed that School Sanitation Programme be initiated in consultation with School Education department.
Reviewing the quality standards of water being provided under the Mission, the Chief Secretary asked the department to test the water quality on 15 parameters identified by the Bureau of Indian Standards within 15 days at both water source and filtration plant. He asked the department to evolve a water quality management mechanism to regularly monitor water quality at various stages of distribution.
The Jal Shakti department informed that ‘Paani Samittees’ which have been constituted in all Panchayats have successfully prepared respective Village Action Plans (VAPs). The Chief Secretary requested J&K WRRA to technically examine 100 such VPAs for asserting the quality of the exercise.
The Chief Secretary also asked the J&K WRRA to undertake a holistic study into various types of water-bodies in Jammu and Kashmir and quality and discharge of water for evolving testing guidelines to be adopted by the Jal Shakti department.
The Jal Shakti department was asked to conduct 3rd party assessment in consultation with J&K WRRA and PDMCs for determining tap water quality in the newly established network of functional tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The Chief Secretary also directed the department to ensure that the 20 district water quality laboratories meet the NABL standards and their accreditation is obtained at the earliest.
