Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 6: To overcome the water scarcity problem in winter capital, State Government is vigorously pursuing the prestigious Chenab Water Supply Project with the Urban Development Ministry and a high level team would be visiting New Delhi soon to pursue the project.
According to highly placed sources, a high level team of the State Government led by Minister of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Ch Sukhnandan Kumar is leaving for New Delhi soon after the Autumn Session of the State Legislature is over to take up the issue with Union Urban Development Ministry and get the project sanctioned for the State.
Sources said as the city presently faced a shortfall of 25 lakh gallons of water per day, the Government is left with no alternative but to take up the issue with Union Government to get the water supply project sanctioned so that the work on the project can be started as early as possible.
Sources said the Government has not given up the hope of constructing this giant water supply project after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) refused funding to it at the eleventh hour this year by raising certain issues despite agreeing the same earlier. But the State Government would now vigorously pursue Rs 1008 crore project which will be constructed in two phases – Phase First and Phase Second with Union Government, sources added.
Sources said the Ministry of Urban Development Govern-ment of India has assured the State Government to arrange the funding of the Project through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) which in principle has also agreed provided the State Government gives satisfactory reply to certain queries raised by it including Indus Water clearance. The revised cost of the project for the first phase has been tentatively estimated up to Rs 880 crore.
Sources said after the assurance of funds by ADB earlier, the Government had given the dead line of completing the First Phase of project by year 2016 but it hit the road block after the ADB refused funding. But not giving up the hope the present Government showed determination in its construction. “I am serious on construction of this project and as soon as this Assembly Session is over I will visit Union Capital to take up the issue with concerned Ministry to seek its clearance and funding,” Sukhnandan Choudhary told Excelsior.
Sources said prior to giving its clearance to the Project, the JICA has also sought the Indus Water clearance as the Chenab is among the other three rivers of the State that falls under Indo-Pak Indus water treaty.
The State Government is hopeful of getting the clearance within a week or so, sources said. Lifting of 500 MLD water from river Chenab per day for water supply project to greater Jammu needs clearance from IWT and we have sent the draft to it for clearance which we are hopeful to receive within a week or so, said Commissioner Secretary PHE, Irrigation & FC, Parvez Malik.
Sources said under the phase first of the project which will cater to the needs of the people up to 2031about 250 MLD water will be lifted per day from the river Chenab and under the second phase 250 MLD water will also be lifted per day from the river Chenab. The second phase will cater to the needs of the people for next 15 years after 2031 i.e up to 2046.
The salient features of the project would be a water channel that will be dug about 70 mt downstream the existing old bridge on the bank of river Chenab in Akhnoor. The intake structure would be raised there and the water would be taken up to Gurha Pattan, a one km distance from this point where the water treatment plant will be constructed.
The sources said the water from this point will be taken to Central pumping Station Muthi by gravity for storage. For this purpose large pipes of 1.8 diameter will be laid covering distance of 20.5 kms. The water from Muthi will be lifted to Upper Roop Nagar storage tanks and then supplied to the city areas where water deficiency exists.
From Muthi Central Storage Point the water will also be taken to Narwal Pumping Station and Belicharana with gravity. The water stored there will be supplied to the localities of Bathindi, Sunjwan, Channi Himmat, Sainik Colony, Greater Kailash, Gangyal, Chatha, Raipur, Satwari, Jeevan Nagar, Airport area etc.
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