JOWAI, April 17: The Jaintia National Council (JNC), Western Zone, has urged the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department to expedite efforts to ensure water delivery to all villages and areas in West Jaintia Hills that lack adequate water supply and where the water distribution system is not functioning effectively.
To address the improper implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme, a delegation led by JNC Western Zone president Hamehi Bamon convened with two Executive Engineers of the PHE department responsible for the West Jaintia Hills district, representing the Electrical and Civil divisions. Additionally, Sokima Najiar sent a formal letter to the officials regarding the matter.
Following verbal complaints from numerous district residents, the JNC noted that while many villages have seen the construction of water tanks and pipes intended for households, the project has stalled, leaving the water supply incomplete.
According to the JNC, this situation has caused significant frustration among the public and the council, as many constructions have been left in disrepair. The infrastructure, as per the JNC, remains as mere frames without any actual water delivery.
Although the department has acknowledged that several villages have implemented the project, the council argued that the execution method appears illogical and fails to benefit the community.
The JNC highlighted that only 25 per cent of the work under the JJM has been completed, raising concerns about the potential misuse of funds and a lack of departmental oversight regarding the rights of the people.
In response, PHE officials assured the JNC that they would take prompt action in the coming days to inspect and improve the situation in the villages, particularly in areas where water is not reaching households or is not being supplied from the tanks. The council also advised the department to resolve the issue within a two-month timeframe.
If we determine that the matter is not being handled as requested, it will escalate the issue through more assertive measures, stated Bamon.
