Water-lifting capacity to be enhanced in Katra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 13

The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has decided to enhance the water-lifting capacity in Katra town to ensure round-the-clock water supply along the route and Bhawan area of holy cave shrine of Goddess Vaishno Devi nestled in the Trikuta hills of Reasi district.

In this context, Commissioner-Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, reviewed the status of water supply schemes for Katra town and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Ramesh Kumar in Katra today. Various measures for augmenting the water supply in the shrine area were discussed.

Sahu asked the Superintending Engineer (SE), PHE (Hydraulics), Udhampur-Reasi, for taking measures for lifting of three lakh gallons of water per day from the Nau-Devian source.

He also asked the engineers to instal the SCADA system for monitoring of all the PHE water supply schemes in the shrine area for effective operation and maintenance of water supply schemes.

He also instructed to submit the DPRs for setting up of advanced filtration plants at Siar Dabri, Pai Nallah and Bhage-wala Gharat water supply schemes.

Sahu issued instructions to the SE, PHE, for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for augmentation of water supply along the track and for the Bhawan area.

While taking stock of the present status of the water availability on the track and in the shrine area, Sahu asked the engineers concerned to take all the required measures to ensure round-the-clock availability of water as also making preparations well in advance for meeting the emerging requirements, particularly during summer months to facilitate the visiting pilgrims.

The engineers concerned of the PHE Department gave details of the as of now availability of water, adding that presently 15 lakh gallons of water per day was supplied to the various installations of the Shrine Board.