Water crisis hits 2,200 houses in Jamshedpur

Panchayat representative submit memorandum to DC

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, July 15: Residents of Parsudih, Govindpur, Chhota Govindpur, and the surrounding rural areas have been facing a severe shortage of drinking water for the past three days, affecting 2,200 houses across 21 panchayats. Angered by the situation, a delegation of panchayat representatives, led by Zila Parishad Vice President Pankaj and member Dr. Paritosh Singh, submitted an eight-point memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Monday, addressing the irregularities in the Chhota Govindpur water supply scheme and demanding immediate improvements.

The panchayat representatives attributed the disruption of water supply to multiple leaks in the main and branch pipes. Without prior notice, the department initiated a 10-day maintenance shutdown, exacerbating the situation. The representatives argued that the department should have informed the residents and made alternative arrangements before suspending the water supply. Despite repeated complaints about pipe leakages to the departmental and administrative officials, timely action was not taken, leading to significant water wastage.

Local Councilor Paritosh Singh highlighted that the water supply scheme lacked necessary valves, causing water distribution to the entire 21 panchayats being stopped during maintenance work. He emphasized the need for area-wise valve installations to ensure continuous water supply to unaffected areas during repairs. Despite repeated requests, the department has not addressed the issue.

Incomplete scheme even after seven years

The foundation stone for the Chhota Govindpur Rural Water Supply Scheme was laid in July 2015, with an initial completion target of 2018. However, the scheme remained incomplete even after seven years. Allegations of corruption surfaced, with claims that approximately 85% of the project funds having been paid to the contractor, IFLS, despite the project remaining incomplete. The contractor was blacklisted following a mass movement, but no recovery process was initiated by the department. Another contractor, Shri Kunj Enterprises (Bokaro), was allotted Rs 5 crore contract for pipeline extension, but progress has been slow, raising doubts about timely completion.

Arbitrary charges by plumbers

Councilor Paritosh Singh also raised concerns about private plumbers charging exorbitant rates for services, as pipes supplying water to 100 houses were buried under newly constructed roads, disrupting the water supply for four years. He called for a ban on such practices and suggested collecting water taxes from supply-connected households to prevent unnecessary water consumption and wastage.

Call for Tata SteelUISL to take over operations

Panchayat representatives criticized the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation for the unsuccessful operation of various water supply schemes. The Bagbera Rural Water Supply Scheme, initiated nine years ago, had yet to commence, and the Chhota Govindpur Water Supply Scheme faced daily leakage issues due to poor quality work. The representatives proposed handing over the operation of the Chhota Govindpur Water Supply Scheme to Tata Steel UISL (formerly Jusco), similar to the Moharda Water Supply Scheme, to ensure better management and reliability.