IT News
Imphal, Feb 27:
Irregularities are found in the implementation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious flagship program, Jal Jeevan Mission, whereby the number of pipes utilized does not correspond to the number of issued pipes, and evidence of double billing of the same work under different program in Langthabal Constituency of Imphal West district, an RTI query has revealed.
As per reply to an RTI query by Public Health Engineering Department, Imphal West, Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme/Jal Jeevan Mission there were 2 works executed in 2017-18, no work in 2018-19, 21 works in 2020-21 and 2 works in 2021-22. For Langthabal AC, the program of NRDWP/JJM is implemented under the supervision of the Imphal West Division of PHED in 7 villages namely Oinam Thingel, Sorokhaibam Leikai, Laiphrakpam Leikai, Naorem Leikai, Langthabal Mantrikhong, Langthabal Kunj and Haoreibi. Payment of Rs. 2,30,02,541 for 18 works done during the period was made to 4 contractors M/S G. Thaningao R. Naga & Sons, A. Premchand Singh, Ashing Kabui, and N. Inao Meitei by the Division. The overall supervision of the department is under the Chief Engineer, one Additional Chief Engineer and One Superintending Engineer supervised, monitor and conduct surveillance of the activities under JJM.
Pipes of different sizes of around 5949.39 running meters were issued to three different contractors namely A. Premanda, Ashing Kabui, and N. Inao. Out of these issued 5949.39 RM of pipes, only about 1410.01 RM were actually utilized. There is a suspicion of misutilizing pipes of around 4539.38RM. As the work has already been marked as completed in the year 2020-21, funds amounting to 2.30 crores have been issued to 4 contractors, M/S G. Thaningao R. Naga & Sons, A. Premchand Singh, Ashing Kabui and N. Inao Meitei in the same year.
Two works, Water Supply at Langthabal Kunja to Haoreibi Zonal areas were executed erroneously in the year 2021-22 by the EE, Imphal West Division, which falls under the jurisdiction of Shamurou Nagar Panchayat, covered by the program taken up under Other Town category. Whereas Langthabal Kunja falls under the jurisdiction of Chajing Water Supply Scheme under Other Town category and there is no technical and administrative feasibility of providing water at Haoreibi Zonal Areas to Langthabal Kunja. The said work was done and completed by N. Inao Meitei and incurred an expenditure of Rs. 15,77,000.
It has come to the light that Maintenance Division of PHED has been implementing various programs of “Har Ghar Jal Mission” across the constituency with M/S Key Stone as the executing agency. There is prima facie evidence of overlapping of the programs and double billing of the same work under different program.
As per source, the Administrative Report of PHED has not been submitted to the Assembly Secretariat since 2018-10, 2019-20, 2020-21 and Budget estimates for the 3 successive Financial years of the state and Budgets were passed without Administrative report.
Jal Jeevan Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 16, 2019, as a flagship program with a vision to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. For Manipur, a total of 451,666 households are targeted to be provided safe drinking water by the year 2024. A sum of Rs. 2642.42 crores has been allocated by JJM, New Development Bank, and other funding sources like NLCPR/NEC. For urban areas, a total of Rs. 384.11 crores was sanctioned for the development of the Water Supply Scheme in 25 small towns. On July 23, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for Manipur Water Supply Project, amounting to Rs. 3054.58 crores. Subsequent to this, a National team of Jal Jeevan Mission visited Manipur from January 10 to 13 and after this, a sum of Rs. 131.80 crores was sanctioned for the year 2021-22.
It may be mentioned that the people of Langthabal AC used to have an ample supply of drinking water for 10 years provided by different Water supplies namely, Chajing Water supply which was inaugurated in the year 1974, Canchipur Water Supply in the year 1975-76, Haoreibi Water Supply in the year 1978-79 and Karam Water Supply in the year 1982-83. Not only Langthabal AC, these Water supplies used to provide water to other ACs like Keirao, Thongju, Singjamei, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa and Imphal city. But the situation of drinking water in Langthabal AC is now in very deplorable situation and it is highly questionable if the huge amount allocated under JJM has been misappropriated by few, putting a blot on the ambitious flagship program of PM Narendra Modi.
