State to impose penalty on contractors for improper JJM work: CM
Times of India | 3 December 2024
12 Kolkata: State govt would impose a penalty on contractors, including some empanelled by central govt, for not properly executing the work of Jal Jeevan Mission, said CM Mamata Banerjee after a meeting with DMs and senior officials on Monday. Asking chief secretary Manoj Pant to blacklist them, the CM added that the state cabinet would take a decision to this effect soon.
Banerjee said there were reports of breaches along the pipeline at 18,230 places. She said people were misusing the water, with some even utilising it for agricultural purposes, which she felt was a criminal offence. People cutting the pipes for personal gains were causing major health hazards for others, the CM said, urging them not to indulge in such activities.
The state has initiated action against 150 contractors and 19 officials, and they were issued show-cause notices. Banerjee said a survey would be conducted to identify where water was being misused, and over 70 police complaints had been lodged for breaches in the pipeline.
The CM said water could not be provided to 50 lakh people because various central agencies were not granting permission to lay pipes on their land. She criticised DVC, saying while its water flooded Bengal regularly, it was not cooperating to supply water to the people.
Banerjee called for migrant workers from Bengal to be employed in laying pipes so they could get jobs closer to home. She said the state had spent Rs 55,000 crore on the project and would be putting in another Rs 66,000 crore.
The maximum misuse of water has been found in East Midnapore with 3,893 breaches spotted, while the figures are 3,879 in South 24 Parganas and 3,031 in North 24 Parganas.