Ground visit to Berubari reveals tap connections complete
but not even one household has water
From Our Correspondent
BAJENGDOBA, Oct 22: The flaws in the much-touted Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) are rapidly coming to light, with another project showing all households connected to functional tap water under the scheme, while the ground reality paints a starkly different picture.
The project in question is the JJM scheme in Berubari village, about 2 km from Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills. Located at the Assam border, it serves as an entry point into the state for those traveling from Paikan along National Highway 51 (Paikan–Tura–Dalu).
According to data on the JJM website, Berubari has 169 households, with the project estimated to cost around Rs 4.24 crore.
However, villagers report that while the project was sanctioned in 2022, the contractor withdrew Rs 2.74 crore, despite almost no work being completed apart from pipe installations in some homes.
Residents claim the project was awarded to a contractor from Khasi Hills, though the actual work is being carried out by a contractor from Guwahati, Assam.
“Earlier, we at least received water through PHE lines, but that has now stopped. This JJM scheme has become a curse for us, as we are left without any access to water. To make matters worse, the contractor has repurposed the old pipes that previously supplied us water to connect to households,” said Balnash R. Marak, the village Sordar.
The villagers pointed to an old, dilapidated water tank near the Berubari Government LP School, which was meant to supply water to the entire village. The tank, measuring around 4 by 2 meters, is in poor condition and looks unsafe.
“They (the contractors) told us this same tank would be used to supply water, even though it is old and appears unhygienic. We’ve asked for a new tank or at least to renovate this one and expand it, as it can’t serve the growing number of households,” said the village secretary, Dickarson R. Sangma.
While the official JJM website lists all 169 households in Berubari as being connected through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) and receiving water, a ground inspection revealed that this information is false—likely an effort to inflate the numbers, a growing trend.
“How can we have water when neither the tank nor the dam has been built? The information is completely inaccurate, and someone needs to address this. Pipes have been installed in most homes, but not a drop of water has been supplied. Moreover, they haven’t even constructed platforms for the taps.
Without a functioning tank, where will the water come from?” questioned the Sordar.
The frustrated villagers said they have written to every relevant authority, but no action has been taken.
“We’ve notified the department, the Deputy Commissioner of North Garo Hills, and even our local MLA, but we’ve been met with disappointment. We urge anyone with a sense of responsibility to help us get what we are rightfully due,” said Berubari president, Brucefield K. Sangma.
Meanwhile, another JJM project, also reportedly assigned to the same contractors—the Bajengdoba Greater Water Supply Scheme (BGWSS)—has seen no progress despite over two years passing since the contract was awarded. The BGWSS was intended to provide drinking water to 11 villages, serving over 850 households.
As has become routine, officials from the North Garo Hills PHE department were unreachable for comment.