Shillong, April 17: Today, the Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) Western Zone, led by Bah Hamehi Bamon, the President of JNC Western Zone, convened with two Executive Engineers from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department responsible for the West Jaintia Hills District, specifically the EE of the Electricals Division and the Civil Division. Additionally, Shri Sokima Najiar sent them a letter.
The purpose of the council’s visit to their office was to address the improper implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, which pertains to the rights of the people.
Following verbal complaints from numerous residents in the district, it was noted that many villages have completed the construction of water tanks and pipes intended to supply water to households; however, the project has stalled, leaving the water supply incomplete.
This situation has caused significant frustration among the residents and the council, as many constructions have been left in disrepair without a functioning water supply, resulting in mere frames without any actual water delivery.
Although several villages have been acknowledged by the department as having implemented the project, the execution method appears illogical and fails to benefit the community.
The council highlighted that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, only 25% of the work has been completed, raising concerns about potential misuse of funds and a lack of departmental oversight regarding the rights of the people.
The JNC has called on these Executive Engineers to expedite efforts to ensure water delivery to all villages and areas lacking adequate water supply and where the water distribution system is not functioning effectively.
Conversely, the PHE officials assured the council that they would take prompt action in the coming days to enhance and inspect the situation in the villages, particularly in those areas where water is not reaching the households or is not being supplied from the tanks.
The council advises the Department to address this complaint within a 2-month timeframe. If it determines that the matter is not being handled as requested, it will escalate the issue through more assertive measures, stated Hamehi Bamon, President of JNC Western Zone.
