Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, Nov 21: District Development Commissioner (DDC) Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana today held one day conference with the daily wager employees of Public Health Engineering Department (PHE).
During the conference, Angrez Singh Rana said that the PHE employees are the back bone of PHE Department. He said that the daily wagers and daily rated employees are working on ground level across the district and there is a need to reach out the every single household of district Kishtwar to ensure the availability of drinking water to people.
He further added that district administration is receiving scores of complaints from the corners of Kishtwar over the shortage of drinking water on daily basis, nepotism in supplying water though pipes and tankers to the general public which will not be tolerated at any cost.
DC Kishtwar advised the employees to keep themselves away from the political functions and asked them to ensure smooth supply of water facility in town and other areas of district Kishtwar.
Giving directions to the higher authorities of PHE Department, DC said the department needed to increase inter-departmental cooperation and work together to ensure that the people did not suffer. He said surprise inspections would be conducted regularly to ensure presence of employees at their designated duty stations as PHE, PWD and Health are very essential departments and warned of action against employees found slacking in their duties or found absent. DC told the officials to ensure that the problems of people were heard and redressed in a timely manner.
He also directed them to repair the leakage of pipes in district Kishtwar so that there will be no hindrance in supplying the water to the households.
Meanwhile, the PHE employees expressed their deep concern over non-availability of instruments and delay in release of pending wages.
After giving patient hearing to the employees, the DC Kishtwar directed the concerned officers of PHE Department to provide the shoes and other daily needed instruments to the daily wager employees and assured them that the matter regarding the release of their wages will be taken up with the concerned authorities.
DC Kishtwar emphasized proper utilization of water resources, saying the Government and society need to come together and make conscious efforts to conserve water.
CPO, PO IWMP, Executive Engineer (PHE), Assistant Executive Engineers and Junior Engineers were present in the conference.