The North Garo Hills district administration has failed to respond to complaints of plastic pipes being used by one contractor while working under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide all rural households with piped water.
According to reports, villagers of Dalmangre had reported the use of plastic pipes in more than 60 percent of households that the contractor was assigned to despite the fact that the work order stipulated that GI (galvanised iron) pipes to be used. The first report on the issue was made more than two weeks ago by aggrieved villagers.
Several attempts, through calls and messages, to get the Deputy Commissioner, RP Marak, to look into the matter and take cognizance of the issue failed to elicit action. Another attempt through the media was made to reach out to the DC for an investigation to be undertaken.
“We are well aware of the fact that GI pipes were to be used in the pipelines to houses and when this was repeatedly ignored by the contractor, we tried to bring it to the notice of the authorities. Till date there has been no response from the administration, which seems strange. Are they trying to join hands in this corruption?” asked one of the villagers.
Villagers added that more than 50 percent of the GI pipes that were supposed to be used to complete the pipelines have been taken back by the contractor from the village with the work being completed using plastic pipes.
While the recent increase in the price of GI pipes has been a worry for contractors, the use of plastic pipes, without any central or state sanction, has raised questions on the will of the administration to act on complaints. Many schemes under the JJM, according to reports, are not being taken up as the profit margin is minimal.
