Jal Shakti Dept Handwara executes scheme allegedly in violation of norms

Handwara, Mar 10: Despite the directions from Irrigation and FLood Control department to stop the work, the Jal Shakti department in north Kashmir’s Handwara is executing a scheme allegedly in violation of the set norms.
Officials said that Irrigation and Flood control division (I&FC) that the executing agency has not sought any non-objection certificate from the department and have laid down the water supply pipe via a Nallah of their own.
The executive engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control division, Handwara, Masood Ahmed Wani said that Jal Shakti department has illegally laid down the pipes in Dhukhaim Canal without taking any consent or NOC from the department.
“We have asked the department to stop the work with immediate effect and remove the already laid pipes from the Canal”, the official said.
The locals, however, complained of the department keeping the pipes naked, which is causing inconvenience to them. “There is every possibility of the laid pipes getting damaged as they have been left naked”, they said, while urging the department to lay the pipes underground.
Meanwhile, upon contacting the official at Jal Shakti department, Handwara, he said that the step was taken to avoid the funds getting lapse, however, they have applied for the permission from the departments.
Asked about the already laid pipes in Dukhaim Canal, he said that they will shift the pipes, besides they will ensure that people would not face any inconvenience.
In the meanwhile, Afrooza, a ward member of ward 05 claims that the funds of his ward were diverted to others despite the department’s knowledge that people of the area are suffering immensely due to water scarcity.
Notably, the department of Jal Shakti has been laying the water supply pipes at Kohru village in Langate under the PRI funds, estimated cost of around Rs 24.Lakhs. (KNO)