Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 4: With major impediments in the project having been cleared, the holy town of Katra will get additional 16 lakh gallon water by the end of 2013-14 financial year beginning from April 1 this year. The ambitious project costing Rs 47.42 crore will meet the drinking water requirement of base camp of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine till 2040.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that major impediments, which slowed down work for nearly six months of the ongoing financial year, have been cleared and presently work has gained momentum on the project, which is now likely to see the light of the day within the time-frame fixed by the completion of the projects sanctioned under the Special Task Force assistance.
Under the project, water is to be lifted from Dhansar stream and provided to the holy town of Katra by laying 21 kilometers long supply line and constructing eight Over Head Tanks. Against Rs 47.42 crore cost of the project, an amount of Rs 25 crore has been released and expended till date.
The major hurdle was on 2.5 kilometer area from Chalal up to Banganga as Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board had some reservations over allowing the Public Health Engineering Department to lay pipeline in its area, which has been earmarked by the Board for developing some infrastructure, sources said, adding after hectic parleys the issue was recently resolved with Shrine Board agreeing to allow PHE Department to use its land for laying of pipe line.
The other hurdles were relating to land acquisition compensation to the people, whose land comes under the project. Due to the resistance from the people, the PHE authorities could not carry out work in some patches but now the issue has almost been settled and office of District Development Commissioner, Reasi was completing the formalities for disbursal of the compensation amount to the people, sources said, adding “a request has recently been made to the District Development Commissioner to get all requisite formalities completed expeditiously for early disbursal of compensation”.
Stating that release of funds was also not up to the expectations of the PHE authorities, sources said, “during 2013-14 financial year efforts would be made to get entire left over amount from the concerned authorities in the Union Government so that no more hurdle of any sort crops up in the completion of the project”.
With the completion of the project, additional 16 lakh gallon water would be made available to the holy town of Katra. At present the town, which is also the base camp for Shri Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrimage, is getting only 8 lakh gallons of water as against requirement of 14 lakh gallons. Following the completion of project, town would get a total of 24 lakh gallon water, which would be suffice to meet its requirement till 2040, sources said.
About the progress achieved on the project till date, sources said, “this is a multi-stage project and work on all the stages is going on simultaneously. The pipeline will pass through Karua, Gharan and Chalal villages and reach Hansali near Shankaracharya Temple from where water would be supplied to the people through eight Over Head Tanks”.
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