IPH Dept told to construct water tank

Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, January 27

The Consumer Forum, Mandi, while deciding a complaint filed by a consumers’ association has directed the Secretary, Irrigation and Public Health Department, Government of Himachal Pradesh, Executive Engineer, IPH Division, Mandi, SDO, IPH Subdivision, Mandi, and JE, IPH section, (Nasloh) Mandi, to construct a water storage tank for residents of Bijani village near Mandi town.

A local NGO, Himachal Pradesh Upbhogta Sangh, had filed a complaint before the Consumer Forum on behalf of residents of Bijani village alleging that the Irrigation and Public Health Department, Mandi, was supplying muddy water to the residents. The water was directly lifted from Thatnala and supplied to consumers as the scheme was not having any intake and filter tank.

As complaints made to the department by local resident Jagdeep fell on deaf ears, a complaint was filed before the forum to issue directions to the department to make provisions for supplying clean water to the residents of this locality.

Denying the allegation, the department said it was supplying clean water to the residents and work on a storage tank and intake chamber had been awarded to a contractor.

The forum after hearing the parties observed that the scheme was functioning without any storage tank and ordered the IPH Department to construct the water storage tank as soon as possible.

It further directed the department to supply the water to the residents after periodical testing and as per the guidelines issued by World Health Organisation.