Jal Jeevan Mission Tap water still distant dream from many in

Jammu: While many parts of Jammu and Kashmir are reportedly facing the water crisis, the tap water facility is still a distant dream for many households across the Union Territory.
However, sources in the administration said that out of the funds sanctioned by the Centre under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), so far only 10 percent of the funds have been utilized in the last two years to install water taps in each and every house.
Many states have spent 80 percent of the sanctioned funds, sources added.
“In the rural areas of Jammu division, till date only about 60 percent of the households have been provided the taps but most of them are running dry,” sources added and said that in various hilly locations, the inhabitants are depending on a natural source of water particularly the ‘bowlis’.
Reliable sources alleged that the government’s ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ campaign is yet progressing on papers but the ground realities are completely contrary to that, adding, “the situation can be gauged from the situation that the drinking water infrastructure has already collapsed in Jammu city and the water leakage in pipes is a common scene in various parts.”
“In two years, only 57 percent households got tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission in all 20 districts of the Union Territory and by August 2022, a target was fixed to provide water from taps to every household,” sources added.
J&K has provided 4.67 lakh new tap water connections in the last two years, sources said, adding that the government claims to provide 100 percent connections in 11 blocks, 383 panchayats and 1070 villages in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts.
“In the second phase, the Jammu and Kashmir government has set a target to cover 11 districts, which include 153 blocks, 1952 panchayats and 3254 villages, with 4.93 lakh functional household taps,” they said and added that in the final phase of the mission, 121 blocks, 1660 panchayats and seven districts with 2623 villages will be covered with 3.12 lakh household tap connections.
“The water crisis is increasing not only in Jammu city but also in the surrounding areas and the schemes are not being implemented on the ground level,” sources said.
In the year 2020, the Center had sanctioned Rs 2300 crore for Jammu and Kashmir under the Jal Jeevan Mission and the work is not being done upto the mark despite the sanction of the funds, they said and added, “Suspending the Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti Department will not solve the problem perhaps, accountability of everyone should be fixed for proper planning in the working of the department.”

Updated On 8/4/2022 11:49:34 AM

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