[ Karda Natam ]
DAPORIJO, 31 Mar: The PHE&WS division here in Upper Subansiri district has denied the allegation levelled by the All Giba Circle Youth Association against the department over substandard execution of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) taken up in this financial year in Giba circle, and payment to the contractors concerned.
Terming the allegation baseless, the department informed that there are seven JJM schemes under Giba block, including two of source augmentation and improvement of water supply, and five of providing drinking water supply schemes in the current financial year.
“All the schemes are being implemented as per the guidelines of the JJM, with all-round technical supervision by the department concerned. Almost all the schemes are on the verge of physical completion, except pipe laying, fencing and finishing touch. Only two schemes have been rejected outright by visiting site engineers with clear instructions to rectify the same as per design and drawings of the department.”
“Till date, payment for mechanical and head load carriage of minor minerals like sand, shingles, aggregates, cement and steel has been made to all contractors (firms) in the first running bill, and further payment or final payment will be made only after site inspection of works done and test-checked by the concerned engineer-in-charge and on obtaining NOC from VWSC of the village concerned,” the department said in a press statement.
It also said that, “since the final payment has not been made to any contractor, the allegation of complete payment is baseless. At the same time, the executing firms have already been instructed to rectify the defective works in schemes as per direction of the department.”
“The department is toiling hard to accomplish the JJM to provide ‘har ghar jal’ to all households without compromising in standards and specifications,” the department said.
While the department welcomed the initiative of the youths of Giba to monitor departmental works, it said that the department expects “positive feedback with good intentions at the same time.”
It informed that “the said facts have already been briefed to the All Giba Circle Youth Association team in person.”
