By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 26: The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) requires another Rs 66 crore to finish the abnormally-delayed phase-III of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS).
The original estimated cost of the project was Rs 193.50 crore as of October 2008 and now the total cost has escalated to around Rs 300 crore, with no confirmation on the date of its completion.
PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak on Tuesday admitted that the department is seeking an additional amount of Rs 66 crore to complete the project by December-end.
According to the minister, the project got delayed due to several factors like delay in release of the installments from the Centre, delay by the PWD and Forest department and even the Shillong Cantonment Board in giving the necessary permission.
However, the biggest hurdle even after 15 years of the project’s sanction, is the inability of the PHED issues to get clearance from Hima Mawphlang, the owners of the land, for construction of pumps in package II of the GSWSS phase III.
Marak sounded confident that the PHED would be able to iron out the differences with the Hima Mawphlang by next week and the project would be completed by December this year.
The minister also pointed out that there are 12 zones for laying of the distribution pipes out of which the department has covered only two zones. Explaining the tardy progress, Marak said the workers cannot work during the day as traffic would come to a halt and hence they are compelled to work only in the night hours.
He also made it clear that the distribution aspect is looked after by the Shillong Municipal Board and not PHED.
To another query, the minister said that Shillong needs around 41 million litres of water per day but the department has been pumping around 51 million litres each day. The problem arises due to leakages in the distribution system, he added.
