Assam Assembly Raises Concerns Over Jal Jeevan Mission Implementation
Concerns Raised in Assam Assembly
Villagers storing drinking water in Biswanath Ghat Puroni Gaon after suffering through long drinking water woes (Photo: Used for representational purpose)
Guwahati, July 7: The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) faced intense scrutiny during a recent session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, where MLAs highlighted issues such as non-operational schemes, discrepancies in official documentation, and arsenic contamination in drinking water sources.
Representatives from Naoboicha, Dergaon, and Dudhnoi raised various concerns, including water supply projects that appear to exist only on paper, interruptions in service during certain seasons, and the presence of contaminated drinking water.
In response, Public Health Engineering Minister Krishnendu Paul assured that the government is dedicated to rectifying the issues related to the mission's implementation.
He mentioned that maintenance issues costing less than Rs 5 lakh could be handled by district commissioners, while those requiring more funds should be directed to the Public Health Engineering Department.
Paul also referenced a cabinet decision that mandates the Public Works Department to repair JJM pipelines damaged during road construction.
"We require a comprehensive report from the concerned MLA of Naoboicha to take appropriate corrective actions," the minister stated.
This response came after Congress MLA Jay Prakash Das of Naoboicha claimed that numerous JJM schemes listed as operational were failing to provide drinking water to the local population.
Das pointed out that despite flooding in Naoboicha, the drinking water facilities under JJM were inadequate, alleging that misleading information was being reported.
Addressing the issue of arsenic contamination in Dergaon, Paul assured the assembly that the government would take all necessary measures to guarantee safe drinking water.
Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass intervened, stating that if residents were still consuming arsenic-contaminated water in Dergaon, those sources should be sealed immediately.
"We will dispatch chief engineers to inspect the affected areas and ensure necessary arrangements are made wherever arsenic contamination is found," Paul replied.
Earlier, Dergaon MLA Mridul Kumar Dutta had reported that inspections revealed arsenic contamination in six villages within the South Dergaon region.
Describing the situation as critical, the Speaker requested the legislator to provide detailed information for further discussion in the assembly.
In response to concerns from Dudhnoi MLA Tankeswar Rabha, the minister mentioned that the upcoming JJM-II mission aims to provide consistent access to safe drinking water year-round.
"We welcome written complaints regarding specific non-functional schemes to facilitate corrective measures," he added.
Rabha had raised questions about the operational status of several JJM projects in his area, asserting that nine schemes labeled as "functional" were only partially operational.
According to Rabha, these schemes provided water only from April to August, ceasing operations for the remainder of the year, which raised concerns about the reliability of drinking water access under the mission.
This issue dominated the Question Hour on the second day of the Budget Session, amidst ongoing controversies regarding the implementation of the Centre's flagship drinking water initiative, which has faced allegations of fund mismanagement and corruption.