Potable water for Guwahatians is still a far cry!

Soft paddling by Dispur, especially during the Congress tenures, is to be blamed for the abysmal delay in implementation of the four ambitious water supply projects in Guwahati.

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 12: Soft paddling by Dispur, especially during the Congress tenures, is to be blamed for the abysmal delay in the implementation four ambitious water supply projects in Guwahati. All the four projects have been running far behind their respective schedules, pouring cold water on the hopes of Guwahatians to get potable water soon.

State GDD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s the reply to a question from AGP MLA Phani Bhushan Choudhury on the floor of the House on Tuesday smacks of this. The works of all the four projects are going on in a sil’s pace.

According to Sarma, the ADB-funded South-East Guwahati Water Supply Project is expected to be completed by 2021, the JNNURM-funded South-West Guwahati Water Supply Project by March 2018, and the JICA-funded South-Central Guwahati Water Supply Project and JICA-funded North Guwahati Water Supply Project are expected to be completed by 2019. According to Sarma, work of the South-West Guwahati Water Supply Project was started on March 18, 2009 and in accordance with the work order the project was supposed to have been completed by September 2011. The project is being executed by Gamon India Ltd, and the funds allocated for the project is Rs 389.53 crore. According to the minister, 94.17 per cent of work of the project is over. The work of the ADB-funded South-East Guwahati Water Supply Project, according to Sarma, was started on May 30, 2013 and in accordance with the work order the project is supposed to be completed by March 2019. Now the project, according to Sarma, is expected to be completed by 2021 and funds allocated for the project is Rs 146.90 crore. Only 14.70 per cent work of pipeline laying by Tirupati Cement Products and 12.14 per cent work of the reservoir by Shivam Transcon Pvt Ltd have been completed.

The South-Central Guwahati Water Supply Project and North-Guwahati Water Supply Projects, according to the minister, were started in 2011-12 and they were supposed to have been completed within 28 months, but now they are likely to be completed by 2019.  The two projects have a fund allocation of Rs 1363.28 crore JICA loan and Rs 337.28-crore state share. The two projects are done by Gamon India Ltd, M/S IVRCL Infrastructure and Project Ltd, Viswa BRCCPL (Jevi), JWIL Renhill (Jevi), Zindal Show Ltd, Electro Steel Casting Ltd, APDCL and NJS Consultant Company Ltd. According to the minister, 56.71 per cent work of the work is over.