Despite recent claim by PHE Minister Marcuise Marak that there was no irregularity or scam in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Meghalaya, an organisation from Garo Hills has alleged that there were serious anomalies in the implementation of the household water supply project in South Garo Hills.
The Nokrek Area Development Committee (NADC) in a statement issued today has urged Marak to personally conduct spot enquiry regarding JJM projects in villages falling under South Garo Hills in order to see the facts with his own eyes.
“Most of the JJM projects in villages under our jurisdiction have not been completed till now. Through RTI we have came to know that the JJM project in Durabanda, South Garo Hills was given for retrofitting for an amount of Rs 57,28,000 and the contract was given to one Rahendro M. Sangma of Upper Rongkhon but still now the JJM project in Durabanda village has not been completed,” NADC president Semronsing Sangma said.
He also said that in the RTI reply it was mentioned that 179 households are eligible for functional tap water connections but out of these only 50 households have been given water connection.
“Even they had said that they have completed the water connection in 50 households but that is also not fully completed as they have not fitted pipes in some households. In some houses they have connected only two or three pipes and the pipes have not even reached the houses. Is this not a scam? Through RTI we have come to know that the contractor Rahendro M. Sangma has withdrawn the full amount of Rs 57,28,000 without completing the project,” Sangma said.
The NADC president said that under the Awegre Water Supply Scheme, four villages namely Awegre, Anchigre , Rongchangre and Rongdigre are supposed to be benefitted from this project which is estimated at Rs 1,02,00,000. The contract for the project was given to Samrath Rabha of Nidanpur.
“Under the Awegre Water Supply Scheme, 80 households are eligible for water connections. Out of these, only 20 households have got water connection. We would like to question the concerned department as to how it had estimated only one water tank for four villages. It won’t be sufficient as the villages are far from each other and the population is more. There must be a water tank in each village,” Sangma said.
He also said that the PHE Department has built water tanks and dams but they were useless. “In Anchigre, Rongchanggre and Rongdigre not even a single household has got water connection and the JJM project is incomplete. Even the water tanks and dams built in Rongchangre and Rongdigre are leaking,” he added.
Further, the NADC president said that in Durabanda, Anchigre, Rongchangre and Rongdigre the JJM project is incomplete.
“If the PHE minister does not believe our words he must do a spot enquiry by himself,” Sangma said.
