City water supply project set for 2017 finish

SHILLONG:   The delay in the commissioning of the phase III of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme will affect the water supply in parts of city in the long run, according to Jemino  Mawthoh, the member of Estimate Committee of the Assembly.
Mawthoh, who took part in the meeting of Estimate Committee on Wednesday, said on Thursday that the population of Shillong is increasing day by day and the delay in commissioning of the phase III would hurt Shillongites badly.
The Estimate Committee (of the State Legislative Assembly has slammed the state PHE department for the  delay .
Mawthoh said  that the  project was scheduled to be completed in March  this year, but the officials of the department in the   meeting with Estimate Committee said that now they target to complete the project in 2017
“I  had asked about the delay in the Assembly and the reply of the  minister in charge was that   Meghalaya Government did not followed some Union Government reforms and hence Rs  17  crore was slashed,” he said, adding that the committee wants to  go in depth  and found out what is the actual reason for the delay.
“Responsibilities have to be fixed for the delay,” he added.
The Estimate committee has asked the PHE department to  give   abstract DPR of the various projects being implemented  in the   state by PHE so that   the committee can study various components of the  projects even as he added that the committee will soon convene a meeting again.
The committee is also contemplating to have an all party committee to study the functioning and working activity of different departments.
The Estimate Committee ( EC) of the State Legislative Assembly  decided to ask the state government to institute an inquiry into anomalies  in implementation of various water supply schemes of the PHE department.