Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar is considering ways to absorb Mawphlang residents into the department in order to be able to restart work on the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS).
For the last three years Hima Mawphlang has not allowed any construction work on stage two of the pumping station of the GSWSS Phase 3 because it first wants 112 locals currently employed as contractual workers to be given regular government jobs.
Those who joined prior to 1997 have been regularized by the PHE Department and Tongkhar said that he has asked officials to study ways to recruit more into the department itself. He said this today after meeting a delegation from Hima Mawphlang.
Tongkhar appealed to the Hima officials to allow the construction to go ahead as the department had “done its best” as per the agreement by appointing several people from Mawphlang.
Meanwhile, the traditional body expressed its inability over the agreement on implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide water connections, where beneficiary villages have to contribute five percent (in cash, kind or labour) and maintenance of the project.
“We have explained to them that, for Mawphlang, we will give them exemption and do away with the five percent contribution and that the department will also maintain the JJM project,” the minister said.
