NONGSTOIN, Jan 7: The Village Water & Sanitation Committee and local contractors of West Khasi Hills, who have undertaken the work to implement Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), have expressed concern over the hike in GSI pipe rates, which have impeded the progress of the scheme implementation in the district and the state as a whole.
This correspondent, after enquiring about the matter, found that the implementing agency has been subjected to numerous hurdles in procuring the pipeline as the department concerned has been instructed to procure the GI pipes from only one company, i.e., Jindal.
However, according to the central guidelines, only Galvanised Iron (GI) Pipe companies, who bear the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) mark with medium quality, are approved for implementation of the scheme.
A village health and sanitisation committees (VHSC) member informed that it is difficult to procure the GI pipes because the company, which has been identified by the department, increases the price every 24 hours owing to the high demand. If we choose any other company bearing the ISI mark as per the JJM guidelines, we are scared of the department not giving its approval. This is why the JJM project in our village has been delayed, he said.
A local contractor from Nongstoin, K Lyngkhoi, told pressmen here that during the second week of December, the cost of 15mm GI pipe was Rs 94 per running metre, which was increased to Rs 116 on January 5.
He added that one 15 mm GI pipe is currently available at Rs 140 per running metre.
The monopoly of GI pipes is evident with Jindal being the only supplier. The instruction for procuring pipes from only one company has raised serious concern to the implementing agency.
When contacted, Superintending Engineer of PHE, Western Circle, RS Nongbri, said the department has sent a letter to the government, requesting for more options to procure the GI pipes.
However, the government is yet to respond in this regard.