Undue delay in Tura water supply scheme

SHILLONG: The CAG has pointed out that there was undue delay in the augmentation of Tura Phase I and II water supply scheme.
According to the 2018 report, the thirteenth Finance Commission had recommended a grant of Rs 50 crore for augmenting the depleting source of water supply scheme (WSS) in Tura and to cater to the needs of drinking water to the households due to rapid expansion of towns in the district.
The state, however, received only Rs 37.50 crore during 2011-12 to 2014-15 as it could not complete the planned items of work and furnish utilization certificates within the award period.
Audit scrutiny of the implementation of the scheme revealed that the project was administratively approved in October 2011 and technical sanction was also accorded in the same month.
The project was to tap the Daribok stream located at a distance of 29 km from Tura town, as the source for the WSS and was to be completed in three years. The project was implemented by PHE Division, Tura and Rs 37.50 crore was released to the Division between March 2012-2017.
The project that was to be completed in three years (2011-14), with 13 Finance Commission funds, remained incomplete even after the lapse of seven years (August 2018) from the date of administrative approval (October 2011), despite availability of funds. Considering the escalation in the cost of material and wages, the cost of the project is likely to be higher than the originally sanctioned cost. The PHED stated in December 2018 that it planned to take up the work through North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme funds.