Jamshedpur’s Bagbera water supply scheme delayed, residents left in lurch despite court orders

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur: Since 2005, the Bagbera Mahanagar Vikas Samiti, led by President Subodh Jha, has been fighting for the reconstruction of the Baghbera Housing Colony filter plant and water supply to 113 villages across 21 panchayats in Bagbera, Kitadih, Ghaghidih, and Karandih under the Bagbera Rural Water Supply Scheme. The Samiti has organized 598 public movements to push for the scheme’s implementation.

The issue was repeatedly raised in the Assembly by former MLA Maneka Sardar and in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2022, by MP Bidyut Baran Mahato. The foundation stone for the scheme was laid in 2015 by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, with promises of household water connections by 2018. Charges of Rs 450 for general and Rs 225 for SC/ST households were collected, amounting to Rs 4.5 crore, but no water supply was provided.

The government had allocated Rs 237.21 crore for the project, with contributions from the World Bank (50%), Central Government (33%), State Government (16%), and public contributions (1%). However, the scheme remained incomplete, and there was no clarity on the funds’ utilization.

In response, the Bagbera Mahanagar Vikas Samiti filed a PIL in the Jharkhand High Court, leading to the release of Rs 50.58 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission and Rs 1.88 crore for reconstructing the housing colony filter plant. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation committed to pipeline water connections for every house by July 26, 2024. However, 19 months after the court’s directives to the Jamshedpur Deputy Commissioner, no significant progress has been made.

In 2025, both schemes remain incomplete due to poor construction, with no water supply to the public. The Bagbera Mahanagar Vikas Samiti has sought information under the Right to Information Act, but the department has failed to provide clear responses.