Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Mar 16: The Chenab Water Supply Scheme, aimed at lifting 200 cusecs of drinking water from the Chenab River and supplying it in different areas of the Jammu district to meet the rising water requirements of the town, could not be undertaken due to the lack of a funding agency.
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Official sources shared this information, claiming a proposal of Rs 885 crore for lifting 200 cusecs of drinking water from the Chenab River near Gurah Pattan area of Akhnoor for use in Jammu City was taken up with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the year 2013-14.
However, after the ADB mission’s visit to the region in June 2013, the agency advised JKERA to exclude this project, sources said.
They said, later, a revised estimate of Rs 1276 crore was prepared in August 2022.
“However, the same couldn’t be taken up further due to the non-availability of a funding agency,” official sources said.
Reportedly, the Rs 1276 crore proposal for the project, which was likely to be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was prepared by the Jammu Municipal Corporation, led by then JMC Mayor Rajinder Kumar Sharma in 2023, and was submitted to the Central Government for approval.
Under the project, water had to be lifted from the Gurah Pattan area of Akhnoor and supplied to different parts of Jammu district to meet the rising demand for potable water, especially during the peak summer months.
However, due to the agency’s lack of interest in executing the project, it could not be implemented to date.
Pertinently, J&K Government has been working on completion of 1544 ongoing Water Supply Schemes in the region to improve quality, enhance last-mile connectivity, strengthen distribution networks, and ensure sustainable water sources to prevent disruptions.
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