Shillong, Feb 12: Yet another complaint has been made regarding the way the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has been implemented in Garo Hills.
The organisation called Garo Hills Youth Solidarity (GHYS) has filed a petition with the state Lokayukta alleging corruption and irregularities in the JJM project at Agrenggittim in South Garo Hills.
The JJM is meant to provide piped potable water to all rural households in the country but pipes meant to reach Agrenggittim were diverted elsewhere, leaving the village bone dry.
GHYS has called for an investigation into serious allegations of corruption, manipulation of official records and deliberate deviation from the approved design for the Era Rongsa Combined Water Supply Scheme.
The central government sanctioned Rs 5.71 crore for the implementation of the combined water supply project covering four villages – Rongsa Awe, Era Aning, Mengkulgittim and Agrenggittim. This project work was allotted to Infratech Pvt Ltd, GHYS said in a release.
As per the approved detailed project report (DPR), a treatment plant consisting of three tanks – pre-sedimentation tank, filtration tank and clear water reservoir – was constructed at Rongsa Awe. The approved technical design clearly provided that water would be supplied directly to Agrenggittim through a 65mm GI pipe and separately to Era A∙ning through an 80mm GI pipe.
However, it has been alleged that the contractor, in connivance with officials, deliberately deviated from the approved design. Instead of connecting Agrenggittim directly from the treatment plant at Rongsa Awe, the pipeline was diverted and connected from the Era A∙ning sub-tank, which was designed exclusively for Era A∙ning. It is further alleged that the main pipeline to Agrenggittim now stands disconnected.
This deviation reportedly reduced the length of the pipeline and expenditure, allegedly enabling siphoning of public funds. As a result, Agrenggittim has received no water supply at all since the reported completion of the project.
Agrenggittim is situated in a water scarce region and during the dry season, villagers are forced to walk long distances to fetch drinking water from distant wells, defeating the core objective of the JJM.
Despite the project being non-functional, it has reportedly been listed as “completed” and the sanctioned funds have reportedly been paid. The petition alleges fabrication of completion reports, gross manipulation of records, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of official position and criminal breach of trust.
