SHILLONG, May 26: Castigating the MDA government for its ‘neglect and incompetence’ in implementing Centre’s flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Meghalaya, especially in the Garo Hills region, and terming it as nothing short of a scandal, the Opposition TMC has sought a thorough inquiry into the implementation of the central scheme in the state.
“The MDA government’s neglect and incompetence in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) across Meghalaya, especially in the Garo Hills region, is nothing short of a scandal. Despite PHE Minister Marcuise Marak’s claims of transparency and success, countless villages, including Dawa Gittinggre and Nengsep Gittim in East Garo Hills—his own district—have been without water for two months,” TMC leader Richard M Marak said on Sunday.
Reminding that the recent Lokayukta probe into the JJM scam in 28 villages in West Garo Hills, ordered on February 1, revealed the depth of corruption and mismanagement, he said, “Allegedly, funds were drawn in the name of JJM water supply for Askikandi and 27 other villages, yet not a single tap or pipe has been installed. This isn’t just an isolated failure; it’s a widespread crisis that demands immediate action”.
Pointing out that the PHE Minister boasts about implementation percentages and the number of tap connections when in reality, the villages are deprived of water and funds are embezzled, Marak said, “Your talk of transparency is meaningless when confronted with clerical errors, exposed pipelines, and unresponsive maintenance personnel”.
Maintaining that people deserve more than empty assurances and excuses, he called out PHE Minister Marcuise Marak, stating, “The ball is in your court. Will you rise to the occasion and address these issues, or continue to drown in excuses while villages suffer? The people of Meghalaya deserve better, and it’s time for the government to deliver on its promises.”
Recently, PHE Minister Marcuise Marak had denied allegations of a JJM scam in the Garo Hills. He even asserted that the department is open to inquiries on any of the 4,000 projects under the scheme.
The minister had emphasised that a project must be specified for scrutiny.
The JJM project has repeatedly come under scrutiny in the Garo Hills for alleged substandard work in many projects.
Dismissing claims of a scam, the minister had said that the scheme’s implementation has been very transparent.
As of now, the project’s progress in Meghalaya stands at 77.38 per cent, with 504,021 households connected to household taps.
“How can it be termed a scam when the implementation of JJM is very transparent? It’s reflected on the dashboard every day, and the payment method is also very transparent,” Marcuise said.
It may be mentioned here that Centre has set a target for every household to have tap water by March 31, 2024. However, Meghalaya did not meet this target and has sought more time, hoping to achieve it by August 2024, as informed by the PHE minister.
