Funds’ shortage delays repair of flood-hit PHE Dept infrastructure

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 8

Assembly elections have delayed the release of funds for repairing the infrastructure of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department damaged by floods in Jammu.

Officials said the department received just Rs 30 crore, while the department had suffered damage of Rs 83 crore due to floods in September.

The worst floods that hit Jammu and Kashmir between September 3 and 7 had severely damaged the lifting stations operated by the PHE Department along the Tawi and Chenab leaving many parts in the Jammu region without potable water supply.

There has been massive destruction of tubewells, lifting stations and other machinery. The supply has also suffered as many pumping stations in flood-affected areas are without the power supply.

Chief Engineer, PHE Department, Sushil Aima, said the dearth of funds was a problem in repairing the damaged equipment and machinery. “We have received just Rs 30 crore and we are still waiting for the funds. But we have restored the water supply,” Aima said.

Officials said due to fund shortage water distribution network had been partially restored in the affected areas in Jammu and other districts of the province.

“The Sittle Filtration Plant at Nagrota and Boria and Dhontli water-lifting stations, which supply 70 per cent of water to Jammu, have been partially restored and due to elections the government is busy, while funds have not been received”, said an official source.

As per the Census 2011 only 34 per cent of the total population in J&K has access to safe drinking water with 64 per cent using tap water for drinking, but only 34.7 per cent get it from treated sources.

“Our locality gets water supply after three to four days, despite the fact that a new overhead tank was build along with the tubewell. Several colonies are facing such problem," said Krishan Lal, a retired government employee residing in the Ganga Nagar area of Bantalab.