Reviewing progress of urban drinking water supply projects at a high level review meeting here on Saturday, Chief Secretary AP Padhi directed the department to make full use of the water testing laboratories which have been operationalized recently at Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack and Brahmapur.
Padhi directed to complete another four labs and commission those within February. These labs would function at Samablapur, Rourkela, Baleswar and Baripada. The department was asked to develop a SOP for regular water testing from each ULB at least one in each week.
Chief Secretary Padhi further directed to expedite the construction of the new water supply projects and complete as many as possible before ensuing summer. A timeline was set to complete 405 projects by end of March and another 33 projects by end of May.
A month-wise completion strategy and timeline was set in the meeting. It was targeted to complete 546 projects in different phases by end of March, 2019. A target was also set to complete the Bhubaneswar bulk water supply project covering Jatani, IIT, NISER, INFOCITY and adjoining areas under PPP mode within February.
Chief Secretary Padhi further directed to ensure 100 per cent household connection in all the wards coming within the new project areas. It was decided to organize wide awareness campaign and water Melas for motivating people to take household connection.
Secretary Mathivathanan appraised that all 113 ULBs have been asked to take up special water connection drive. It was decided to involve women SHGs, Mahila Arogya Samities (MAS) and Ward Kalyan Samities (WKS) as Water Monitors for door- to- door campaign and handholding support to the people for taking water connection. The urban poor will not be required to pay any off-front connection charges. They will be provided the facility to pay the connection charges in easy installments. The HHs taking connection during the campaign period will also be benefited financially as they will not be required to cut the roads and repair that or pay the repair cost as the fine.
Special Secretary Jha said, “As many as 910 drinking water projects estimated around Rs 3,013 crore have been taken up in different urban local bodies. This includes 752 projects taken up under State Plan, 130 projects under AMRUT, eight under UIDSSMT, 18 under DMF and two projects under PPP. Out of this, 268 projects have already been completed. The rate of completion has also been enhanced. Presently, 642 projects are in different stages of implementation.”