SHILLONG: The delay in the completion of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme has compelled the state government to revise the project estimate and it will cost the state exchequer a whopping Rs 106 crore.
PHE Minister Samlin Malngiang, along with officials, conducted an inspection of the project and expressed his happiness over the progress of the work.
“This project has been delayed a lot and we will have to revise the estimate and it will be around Rs 106 crore,” Malngiang said.
However, the delegation did not invite local MLA SK Sunn, who is former chief engineer PHE, during the visit.
Sunn, however, did not want to comment on the government delegation not inviting him but revealed that 55 per cent of water from the scheme goes waste due to leakage of existing cast iron pipes.
He hoped that with the usage of the new ductile iron pipes, wastage of water can be reduced to 15 per cent from 55 per cent and hence he urged both the PHE and PWD to iron out the differences so that the pipes can be laid to ensure proper water supply.
Earlier, the Minister said the work is going on smoothly for all the segments of the project and that he would try his best to see that the project is completed in a year’s time.
According to Malngiang, the laying of pipeline is being carried out in Mawreng and even the PWD has agreed to vacate the land where pipelines are to be laid in Shillong city after a detailed meeting between PWD and PHE was held earlier this month.
The minister during his visit to the site inspected different segments like water reservoir, intake dam, water treatment plants and others.
The physical progress of the third phase of Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme is around 70 per cent.
With a view to augment water supply to areas covered under GSWSS (Phases I and II) and the remaining three urban centres – Pynthorumkhrah, Nongmynsong and Madanrting – GSWSS (Phase III) is being implemented.
