ADC inspects Moharda drinking water project

Jamshedpur : A team of East Singhbhum district administration led by additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Ganesh Kumar on Wednesday inspected the Rs 28 crore Moharda drinking water project that has got delayed for nearly six years.

Expressing concern over the delay, the ADC directed the drinking water and sanitation department (DW&SD) official present at the spot to find out the reason for delay in the construction of weir and prepare a revised estimate for its construction.

Kumar also directed the authorities to submit it to local urban body (Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee) for sanction of fund from state urban development within a month. The weir is only 70 per cent complete as of now.

The JNAC special officer Deepak Sahay was also directed to complete fresh Detailed Project Report (DPR) for laying of secondary pipelines in areas which have not been covered by the project within a week and send it to state urban development for sanction of funds for execution of laying of pipes.

During the inspection, the ADC also directed the Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam Limited for installation of a vacuum circuit breaker.

The foundation stone of the water project of the project was laid by former chief minister Arjun Munda and then state urban development minister Raghubar Das in September 2006. It was scheduled to be complete in 2008. The project is expected to provide piped drinking water to around 1.5 lakhs populace residing in Bagunhatu, Bagunnagar, Baridih, Birsanagar, Moharda and Hurlung.

Several political parties are trying to draw mileage from the Moharda Water Project. Though it was AJSU that first raised the issue, however Jharkhand Vikash Morcha under the leadership of Abhay Singh also jumped into the issue and demanding high level probe.

Meanwhile whole issue has snowballed into a major controversy. All the political parties are trying to attack the their opponents. In the future Assembly elections of Jharkhand, the Moharda Water Project will be a major election issue for the major political parties.