Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is set to take up the House Committee report on alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the Union Territory and discuss the continuing shortage and non-availability of essential construction material across J&K during its sitting on Wednesday.
According to the List of Business issued by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the sitting will begin at 10 am with Question Hour, followed by Calling Attention Notices on a range of issues concerning drinking water shortages, EWS certificates, flood damage, agriculture losses, hospital infrastructure and delays in water supply projects.
Justice (Retd) Hasnain Massodi will make a brief statement on the report of the House Committee constituted to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The report was presented in the House on September 21, and the statement will be followed by the government’s reply.
The House will also hold a detailed discussion on the situation and consequences arising from the acute shortage and non-availability of essential construction material across Jammu and Kashmir.
The discussion is scheduled to involve 15 members, including Javid Hassan Baig, Nizam-Ud-Din Bhat, Hilal Akbar Lone, Irfan Hafiz Lone, Dr Sajjad Shafi, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Saif-Ud-Din Bhat, Iftkar Ahmed, Irshad Rasool Kar, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Javid Riyaz (Bedar), Ajaz Ahmed Jan, Ranbir Singh Pathania and Javaid Ahmad Mirchal.
Drinking water shortages will form another major part of the day’s proceedings, with several MLAs seeking the government’s response to problems in different parts of the UT.
MLA Arjun Singh Raju is scheduled to raise the shortage of drinking water in Batote and Ramban towns, attributed to the non-functioning of filtration plants at Batote and Ward No. 2 of Ramban, besides the shortage of water tankers.
Sajad Shaheen is scheduled to draw attention to acute drinking water scarcity in several areas of Banihal constituency, including Sumar, Thachi, Manjit, Chajloo, Ramsoo and Tajnihal.
Altaf Ahmad Wani will raise the non-availability of drinking water facilities in Wallarham, H. Kathal and Sofipora in Pahalgam constituency, while Darshan Kumar will seek action over damaged drinking water supply schemes and irrigation khuls in areas of Dhar Mahanpur block affected by recent floods.
Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi is scheduled to raise the delay in execution of a 13-km water supply pipeline project sanctioned under AMRUT 2.0 for 13 wards of Municipal Committee Budgam.
The Assembly will also hear a Calling Attention Notice from Sajad Gani Lone regarding alleged discrimination against Kashmir Division in the issuance of certificates under the Economically Weaker Sections category, which he has attributed to official apathy.
Other issues on the agenda include premature fruit fall and losses suffered by fruit growers in Zainapora, delay in providing permissible timber assistance to fire-affected families in villages of Langate constituency and the recent flash floods in Beerwah, including damage assessment and compensation for affected people.
Jammu’s healthcare infrastructure will also come under focus, with Vikram Randhawa scheduled to raise the issue of the old Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar building being declared unsafe following a structural safety audit. He is expected to seek immediate demolition of the building and construction of a new modern hospital at the site.
The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, is also scheduled to lay before the House two Comptroller and Auditor General of India reports, including the report for the period ended March 2023 and the Composite Audit Report-Civil for the period ended March 2024.
The September 30 sitting is therefore set to bring several infrastructure and public-service concerns before the House, ranging from water supply and flood restoration to construction material availability, healthcare infrastructure and the implementation of major government schemes.
