Dehradun, 23 May:
Planning Minister Dinesh Agarwal has held Departmental Officers responsible for the existing water crisis. At a meeting with the officers of Jal Sansthan, Jal Nigam and Drinking Water Department, on Wednesday, Mr. Agarwal said that lackadaisical attitude of the Departmental officers were responsible for the crisis which was never experienced before.
Mr. Agarwal said that he was compelled to take stringent disciplinary action against the officers responsible for the situation and directed the officers to conduct survey and resolve problems at Race Course, ABC, Banjarawala, Niranjanpur, Daudwala and Mandi areas. He said that carelessness from officers' side would not be tolerated as they were not doing any favour to anybody but it was their responsibility to ensure sufficient water supply to the public. He directed them to install tube wells, water pipes and clear chocked sewerages wherever the problems existed. He instructed the officers to hold meeting of Jal Sansthan, Jal Nigam and officers of JNNURM to maintain coordination amongst them and take concrete measures.
The Planning Minister asked the officers of Irrigation Department to complete constructions of bridges, drains and necessary steps for flood control prior to the arrival of Monsoon wherever needed. He instructed the Mini Irrigation and Irrigation Department to maintain coordination and monitor works to avoid duplicity. He maintained that financial constraint would be resolved by arranging fund through NABARD and State Sector besides, Central Government.
Earlier, reviewing the meeting of works undertaken under National Highways, PMGSY and PWD at Vidhan Bhawan Minister Agarwal also expressed his dissatisfaction over the absence of concerned officers and lack of information with the present officers. He demanded explanation from the officers for not carrying out development works as per the survey in PMGSY and non construction of the approved projects.
The Minister was apprised that out of 779 road construction works, 478 were complete and 150 were remaining owing to Forest Act and Rs. 1080 crore had been utilized as against sanctioned Rs. 1151 crore this year.
