news details |
|
|
| PHE misleads Govt on WSS Mehtabpur, Kathua | | Work executed on disputed land, causes loss of Rs 51.83 lakh | | Arun Singh
Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 22: The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has allegedly violated all set norms during execution and augmentation of Water Supply Scheme, Mehtabpur, Kathua which resulted in loss of unfruitful expenditure of Rs 51.83 lakh.
The department ignored all vital points before execution of Water Supply Scheme in Kathua district of Jammu region. The Department ignored their basic needs and rights. It failed to make proper planning or prepare the technically feasible project report resulting in the loss of State exchequer. Even the Central Ground Water Commission in its report had rejected the land for executing the Water Supply Scheme, Mehtabpur.
Sources told Early Times that the scheme was started under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) in 2000-01 at an estimated cost of Rs 62.33 lakh in order to cover at least 9 habitations with an approximate population of 3200 souls. "Soon after construction of a Tube-Well at Rakh Jaffar, the persistent demand from the adjacent population resulted in revision of scheme in 2005-06 escalating an estimated cost to Rs 1.31 Cr. Since the scheme was new and the entire population was not covered there and it happened to some shortcomings there which resulted in schedule cuts" they said.
They further said that the Department has also been facing shortage of manpower as there were only 10 workers against the requirement of 32. The work was taken up without any Administrative Approval and the said scheme was shifted at its own. It included digging a Tube-Well establishing a water source and executing allied works to increase the capacity of the upgraded scheme. The execution of the allied works for which an expenditure of Rs 51.83 lakh was incurred, was taken up by the department without ensuring the encumbrance free land where water source was to be established.
The department grossly adopted casual approach as on the one hand huge amount was incurred but on the other hand no outcome of the Scheme was achieved till date. The department has time and again defied the standing instructions and proper procedure and has ignored the administrative approval, they alleged. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
