Jamshedpur: About 2.5 lakh people living in the outskirts of Jamshedpur are upset over the prolonged delay in the completion of the World Bank-aided Rs 122-crore drinking water project. With summer approaching, the residents apprehend they will not get tap water at their homes even this year.
A delegation of the women residents of the beneficiary villages met local MLA Sanjeev Sardar recently and urged him to take up the matter with the state government for early completion of work.
“The government has to intervene and make officials pace up work, otherwise the project will not be complete on time,” said Ritu Singh, a resident of Baghbera.
Sardar said he will speak to the government and added, “Residents will not have to suffer even if there is a delay. Water will be supplied through mobile tankers daily.” Notably, the Bagbera Gramin Jalapurti Yojna (BGJY) was started along with the Rs 115-Chota Govindpur Jalapurti Yojna (CGJY) in April 2015. The foundations were laid by former chief minister Raghubar Das.
Both the projects were scheduled to get operational by November 2017. While the CGJY is complete, BGJY is only about half way through with only 11 of the 24 pillars needed for connecting the pipeline from the source point at Domuhani River to the filter plant in Giddijhopari being complete till now.
Construction of the filter plant is also pending and laying of the underground pipeline across the 80km coverage area remains to be completed.
While World Bank’s share in the project is 50%, the Centre and state government have 33% and 16% shares, respectively. Meanwhile, beneficiaries have 1% stake in the project.
The executive engineer of drinking water and sanitation department Abhay Toppo said, “Issues have been settled and work has commenced. We have issued a notice to the company to get the work done at the earliest,” Toppo said.