NC, others press for investigation; BJP prefers silence
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 22: Following consistent demand of majority members in the Legislative Assembly, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather today announced formation of a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Speaker said that there had been a constant demand from several Legislators regarding constitution of such a House Committee since start of the Budget session.
“House is supreme and several members have expressed their serious concern over alleged misuse of funds under Jal Jeeven Mission. Being custodian of the House, it becomes my responsibility to address the concern of honourable members and there is no harm in formation of a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities,” he said.
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The Speaker further said that members of the House Committee will be announced soon.
Earlier, majority members in the House, while speaking on grants of Jal Shakti, Forest and Tribal Affairs Departments, strongly pressed for a thorough probe into alleged irregularities in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in J&K.
Besides ruling National Conference and Congress members, several Independent MLAs also drew attention towards non-functional water supply schemes in their respective constituencies, executed under JJM with expenditure of hundreds of crore rupees on these projects and demanded House Committee to probe the alleged scam.
Interestingly, BJP MLAs preferred to either remain silent or speak little over the alleged irregularities. Even as Balwant Singh Mankotia drew attention towards some alleged irregularities and demanded action against those responsible for the same, he did not respond in affirmative when NC members sought his support for the House Committee.
Mir Saifullah of NC said that despite expenditure of Rs 650 crores under JJM in Kupwara, only one or two water supply schemes were completed. He alleged that 5500 water supply pipes were shown purchased in Keran, but only 500 were actually on the ground. Sub-standard pipes were used and the same got damaged in winter season, he added.
Alleging scam of thousands of crore rupees under JJM, he stressed that a House Committee, comprising members of all parties, should be constituted to probe the irregularities.
“If such a huge amount would have been actually used, every household in J&K could have got drinking water supply,” said the NC MLA and added that if no cognizance of the alleged scam is taken by the House, it would be injustice with the people who had voted them to the Assembly. He hoped that opposition BJP would not oppose the House Committee.
G A Mir of Congress also favoured a House Committee to probe the JJM irregularities. Alleging that pipes worth hundreds of crore rupees were dumped here and there even before knowledge of the projects under scheme,
Independent MLA Muzaffar Iqbal Khan said that not even a single water supply scheme under JJM was functional in his Assembly constituency. “Purchased for Har Ghar Jal under JJM, pipes worth thousands of crore rupees were purchased, but the same disappeared later without being used,” he said and extended his support for a House Committee to probe the irregularities.
Khan stressed that the House Committee should particularly probe who ordered laying of plastic pipes in forest areas as the same are understood to melt in case of forest fire.
Drawing attention towards alleged irregularities in implementation of JJM, Aijaz Jan of NC demanded either CBI or NIA probe for action against those responsible for the same.
Shamima Firdous, Abdul Majid Larmi, Sajad Shafi, Mehraj Malik, Tanveer Sadiq, Salman Sagar, Shafi Wani and several others also drew attention towards no supply of drinking water in their areas despite crores of rupees spent under JJM and favoured a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities.
Iftikhar Ahmed of Congress said that JJM was not being implemented at ground and needs to be revisited. Randhir Singh of BJP said that water supply schemes under JJM were not functional in his constituency. “Pipes have been dumped there but not laid for water supply,” he added
Javed Ahmed was apparently the only NC MLA who said that most of JJM schemes were successfully executed in his Assembly constituency. However, he demanded that Rs 40 crores liability towards the contractors who executed JJM works, should be immediately cleared.
Vikram Randhawa alleged encroachment of forest land and sought either eviction of the illegal encroachers or their regularization after charging for the land as per market rates.
Yudhvir Sethi also drew attention towards encroachment of huge chunk of forest land. He named an individual who has allegedly encroached upon 400 kanal of Forest land in his constituency.
Chander Parkash Ganga expressed concern over depleting ground water level and suggested that district and State level committees should be established for monitoring water conservation projects.
Mohan Lal Bhagat advocated for district status to Akhnoor, concrete embankment of River Chenab and Kandi Canal.
Arvind Gupta suggested that defunct irrigation channels in Talab Tillo area of his constituency should be converted into drainage system.
Wahid Parra of PDP alleged that a pattern of violence was being adopted to victimise the tribals who need real empowerment under Forest Rights Protection Act. He also demanded restoration of defunct irrigation canals.
Others who spoke during discussion on the grants, included Mian Mehar Ali, Er Khursheed, Altaf Kaloo, Vijay Sharma, Bashir Ahmed Veeri, Choudhary Akram, Reyaz Ahmed Khan, Shagun Parihar and Dr Rameshwar Singh.
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