Vital decisions are taken in the District Development Board with intent to be implemented but concerned Government departments are reportedly taking no interest to implement them in Kishtwar, much to the indignation of the people and their elected representatives. And, these decisions are taken more than a year back. Should there be some amount of compunction with the implementing agencies, they would have spelt some definite time frame, now, as regards taking action but it appears that they are sitting with crossed fingers .
Naigad Water Supply Scheme was sanctioned in the year 2010 on the recommendations of Special Task Force (STF) constituted by the Union Government. To take stock of the situation, the Kishtwar District Deveploment Board, in its meeting held on March 6, 2017 under the Chairmanship of Minister for Health and Medical Educatiion had expressed serious concern over the poor pace of progress on this vital project. The District Development Board had issued directions for prompt removal of bottlenecks and gearing up of the work on the scheme. It had the objective of meeting the drinking water requirements of Kishtwar town and its peripheries for years to come. The fate of this water supply scheme was also discussed in numerous meetings presided over by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti but still no action has been taken much to the disappointment of the people of Kishtwar.
There is, however, no perceptible change on the ground and the work is going with fits and starts instead of with consistency and with the required tempo. Water supply lines for an area of 12 km are yet to be laid by the concerned agency.
Naigad Water Supply Scheme is an acid test of how administration has faltered in implementation process and lays bare, poor planning and monitoring whether it be the process of getting forest clearance, delay in procurement of equipment etc which have proved as humps and obstructions. Departments of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control as also the Administration are in a position to explain and account for the unusual sluggishness in not addressing the issues.
About the lift water supply scheme at Kishtwar, the District Development Board had expressed concern over the quality and pace of work and had suggested necessary corrective measures. Here also no change has taken place resulting in frequent disruptions in the water supply and subsequent shortage of drinking water in the targeted areas.
Widening of road from Bus Stand to Kuleed Chowk to resolve the traffic mess as also Batote- Kishtwar- Sinthantop National Highway are in disarray mainly due to funds problem and the decisions in the DDB, at the first instance, should not have been taken without keeping these issues in mind.
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