EMCHI, 23 Feb: A total of 24,475 households in rural Papum Pare have been connected with functional household tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), thereby achieving 100 percent saturation under the scheme.
The achievement was celebrated at a function organised by the Yupia PHED division here on Wednesday.
During the programme, best-performing GPCs Tana Simsan (Sopo), Tana Yarin (Kolma), Nabam Yajo (Chimpu), Bamnag Chapu (Rayo) and Gollo Laji were awarded with mementos and certificates.
Ngurang Yamang, Nangram Akin and Techi Aabe Teli were also awarded for being the best-performing women in handling the field test kits.
Best-performing fields staffers Tadar Harming (Yupia division), Nabam Hakap (Sangdupota), Tomar Angu (Naharlagun division) and Techi Lohan (Sagalee division) were also awarded with certificates and mementos.
Joining the celebration, Sagalee MLA Nabam Tuki called for concerted efforts from all the stakeholders to protect the water source catchment area by discouraging jhum cultivation and deforestation.
Commending the ‘Egam Basar Project Nature’ in Soi village in Leparada district, Tuki said that “such initiatives should be incentivised and emulated across the state.”
PHED Secretary AK Singh assured to “notify the drinking water source watershed areas” if the requisite paperwork is submitted to him, and requested Papum Pare DC Jiken Bomjen to “complete the necessary formalities in consultation with the PRI members and public.”
JJM Mission Director Tomo Basar informed that Arunachal is the first state in the Northeast and the 10th in the country to achieve 100 percent saturation under the JJM, and added that “the challenge now lies in sustaining the JJM, for which VWSCs, GPs and PRIs have to work in tandem.”
The DC administered ‘drinking water catchment area protection’ pledge to all the attendees.
Yupia PHE EE Sawant Riang delivered a presentation on JJM implementation in the district, while Tayum Tok dwelt on the Arunachal Pradesh Drinking Water Catchment Area Protection Act, 2023, and on “operation and maintenance of in-village water supply system by the community.”
Engineer Debia Padang spoke about the Egam Basar Project Nature of Soi village and how “the undeterred efforts of a horticulture officer to protect the catchment areas have become a success story that’s told across the country.”
Among others, ZPMs, GPCs, and PHED officials attended the event. (DIPRO)
