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Rajesh Gupta
JAMMU, Sept 21: The House Committee report on Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) irregularities tabled in the Legislative Assembly in Srinagar today by its chairman Hasnain Masoodi has pointed out glaring irregularities in implementation of the scheme and has recommended constitution of a High-Level Committee to identify the officers who indulged in omissions and commissions.
Based on the HLC recommendations, if the omissions and commissions warrant, the matter can be referred to an investigations agency for taking action warranted under law, it suggested.
Irregularities were noticed and come across, by the House Committee as recorded in the findings, needs constitution of the HLC to audit all Water Supply Schemes schemes under JJM/retrofitting as regards procurement of DI/GIHDPE pipes and civil works executed and identity the officers/engineers responsible for such irregularities.
It said the Government/JSD must constitute the HLC to identify the officers who occupied various positions in the Apex Level Committee, Executive Committee and District Level Committees from the day of their constitution till March 31, 2025 and enquire into omissions and commissions made by such officers while discharging their duties as spelt out in the Terms of Reference of such Panels.
It recommended that the HLC must also be mandated to examine mechanism/procedure followed by the UT level Purchase Committee while awarding contracts for procurement of DI/GI and HDPE pipes and other material and also fix responsibility upon the officers/officials, contractors, suppliers or agencies found responsible and involved in procurement, approval or utilization of substandard material.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government on receipt of the report(s) from the HLC (recommended to be constituted), may if the facts unravel, warrant investigation into the omissions and commissions found to have been committed, refer the matter to an investigating agency and take action warranted under law having results of such investigation,’’ the House Committee proposed.
It, however, pointed out that the Government of India taking note of the failure of programmes, schemes and measures taken from time to time since the first five year plan to achieve optimum results and much-cherished dream of safe drinking water to each and every household, put much emphasis on development of institutional mechanism at all levels for effective and efficient implementation of JJM.
The House Committee said the decision to shift from GI pipes to HDPE pipes (in 2023) three years after the Mission was launched can’t be justified on the basis of observation of Committee of Ministers on JJM and report of the National Jal Jeevan Mission team visiting Jammu Kashmir, or the communication of the Director National JJM to the Additional Chief Secretary PHE for the reason that decision/communication made the use of HDPE pipes optional for the States and furthermore restricted the use of HDPE people for last mile connection wherever feasible.
In any case, the observations didn’t even suggest shift to the compulsorily made from GI pipes to HDPE pipes as decision would depend on terrain and local feasibility, it added.
The House Committee pointed out that the decision to shift to HDPE pipes from GI pipes was a major decision of huge financial and operational consequences and ought to have been taken by the Apex Level Committee, which by allowing such a major decision to be taken at the lower level seemingly played safe so that it is not held accountable for the consequences.
The decision to make a shift from GI pipes to HDPE pipes paved way for purchase of HDPE pipes for approximately Rs 600 crore and their introduction didn’t only result in huge loss to public exchequer but contributed to the delay in execution of water supply schemes and delay in making the schemes operational. This also deprived large segment of targeted population from the facility of safe and adequate drinking water,’’ the Committee said.
J&K Government Orders It also pointed out negligence in maintenance and safety of the stores saying there is no credible record at least produced before the House Committee as regards details of the GI and HDPE pipes procured, utilized and left unutilized during on spot visits, the House Committee found the water pipes, both GI and DI, abandoned and littered around.
The JJM authorities by not taking adequate measures to keep the procured pipes safe and prevent pilferage, facilitated misappropriation of pipes,’’ the report added.
The House Committee further stated that out of 3253 Water Supply Schemes, involving expenditure of around Rs 7,000 crore, 63 percent were found non operational, while even among the remaining 37 percent claimed by the Jal Shakti Department to be functional, several schemes were not fully operational.
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