Jamshedpur, April 18: The long wait of 3 lakhs�people for piped drinking water inched closer to reality as Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das�on Saturday�laid foundation stone to the long waited Baghbera-Govindpur drinking water project at a function in Baghbera.
Addressing the gathering, Raghubar Das without mentioning the name hit out at JMM saying that �People who talked about Jal, Jungal and Zameen (Water, Forest and Land) are not the same leaders they used to be and if one wants to see the sample can visit Gopal Maidan in Bistupur were National Convention is taking place in air conditioned pandals. These leaders have now become facility frat and travel in expensive SUVs so how can these men talk about tribal interest�, added Das.
Das further said that it is a historical day and the long wait of the people has come to end. He said that steps will be taken to ensure that people reap the facilities of welfare programmes. CM said that the Government wants to ensure better infrastructure and civic amenities for the people of State and welfare initiatives are being taken in this regard.
��Since 2006 we have sat on indefinite-fast, undertaken padyatras to state capital, set up road-blockade, taken out torch rally for early execution of the project. But each time we were given given verbal assurance. We were given assurance by the district administration that the DPR (detailed project report) of the project has been submitted and tender�process would be completed before this summer. But�today�the Government has set the ball rolling for the completion of project,� said Subodh Jha a local activist.
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The Rs 238 crore water project sanctioned by the drinking Water and Sanitation Department of the State Government would benefit a populace of over 3 lakhs�residing in 113 villages in 21 panchayats of Bagbera, Harharguttu, Ghaghidih, Kitadih and Parsudih. It envisages�construction of a water treatment plant near Ghaghidih central jail and three water tanks.�The project is expected to be completed by 2018.�
The project is waiting for commencement despite being in paper since 2006. The project had seen five detailed project reports (DPRs) being framed by consultants but nothing concrete had taken place so far at the ground level.