DC Poonch reviews progress of Jal Shakti(PHE) Department Poonch

Distt. Development Commissioner Poonch Sh. Inder Jeet JKAS today held an urgent meeting in the conference Hall of DC office complex at Poonch to review the functioning of Jal Shakti (PHE) Department. In the meeting Er. Rajinder K. Sharma Superintending Engineer Hydraulic Circle Poonch appraised the Distt. Development commissioner of the detailed report of all the works proposed under Jal Jeevan Mission and other ongoing works/schemes undertaken for providing safe drinking water facilities to the public in the District. SE Hydraulic Circle Poonch informed in the meeting that out 128 works approved under Jal Jeevan Mission program of the Govt. to provide HAR GHAR NAL SE JAL, 69 Stands allotted and 41 are under the process of allotment. Balance 18 No of works are under tendering process and all the works are likely be completed by ending June 2023.

Out of 128 No of Borewells, 47 stands drilled and work on rest of the Borewells is in progress.

District Development Commissioner in the meeting reviewed the overall water supply position in respect of Poonch and Surankote towns besides all the water supply schemes falling in the Rural areas of the district.

He directed the Executive Engineer PHE Division Poonch to ensure the water supply position in respect of all the schemes in the district is shared in the whatsapp group of the District administration on daily basis.

He further emphasized for more pumping to get more water so that sufficient water is supplied to the public on regular basis. In the meeting District Development commissioner directed the Executive Engineer and the entire field Engineers of the department to regularly visit the sites and ensure quality construction ensuring that all the works under JJM are completed strictly as per the timeline fixed by the Govt. i.e ending June 2023.

District Development Commissioner further directed all the Field Engineers /Junior Engineers of the PHE Department to hold public grievances camps in their respective sections every Wednesday strictly following the circular instructions issued by the SE Hydraulic Circle Poonch dated: 16.11.2022 and ensure participation of the PRIs, general public and the Pani samities in each camp and the record of the all such meetings/grievance camps be submitted in the division office. He further directed all the field Engineers (AEs/JEs) to remain stationed at their respective section Headquarters and perform their legitimate duties properly and any lapse found on their part shall be viewed seriously and strict disciplinary action shall be taken against the erring/ non performing officers of the department. All the deadlines for submission of the information sought from time to time shall be strictly adhered to and any delay or lapse shall warrant strict action against the erring officers.

Further, the District Development Commissi oner showed his serious concern towards the water leakages in the pipelines/distribution networks and illegal connections tapped on rising main/gravity main supply lines , wherein huge quantity of drinking water is wasted, besides giving rise to the supply of polluted water to the public.

He directed the Executive Engineer and all the Field Engineers to check all these losses and take immediate measures to plug all such leakages besides removing all illegal connections from the rising mains/gravity main supply lines to ensure equitable distribution of the safe drinking water facilities to the public. All concerned field Engineers/staff shall be made accountable for all such lapses. He further warned of the strict action against the concerned AEE/JE in whose jurisdiction such leakages are reported and found unattended.

District Development Commissioner directed the Executive Engineer PHE Division Poonch for

immediate floating the tenders of the Electro-mechanical works of the JJM Schemes, where the borewells have been drilled. He further directed the Executive Engineer to plan invitation of the tenders for stage works for repairs of pumping machinery/mechanical Engg. works and other M&R works to provide uninterrupted waters supply to the public.

District Development Commissioner directed the Executive Engineer to rationalize the field staff to overcome the shortage of manpower at some places ensuring the equitable distribution of safe drinking water to the public. He further directed to take stern action against the non-performing field staff and other office staff under the PHE Division Poonch ensuring punctuality.

Distt. Development Commissioner, further, while reviewing revenue realization expressed his

displeasure for very poor realization of the revenue/ water tax in respect of the PHE Division Poonch. He emphasized that services of all field level workers be utilized in collection/ realization of the water tax from the consumers and directed the Executive Engineer PHE Division Poonch to personally monitor the recovery of water tax/ revenue on daily basis, ensuring the targets fixed are achieved in full. All AEEs ,AEs and Junior Engineers shall be held accountable and responsible in case of any lapse/ poor performance in achieving the targets fixed therein.

Others who attended the meeting were Er. Riaz Ahmad Executive Engineer PHE Division Poonch, Er. Ashaq Hussain Rather AEE Poonch, Er. Sajad Chowdhary AEE Mendhar , Er. Shakeel Ahmad AEE Suarnkote and S. Amarpreet Singh AEE PHE Mech. Poonch besides all AEs and Junior Engineers of PHE Civil/ Mech of PHE division Poonch.