Massive silt in Sitlee Plant reduces 50% water capacity
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 31: Even after the construction of nearly 50 tube wells in Jammu by the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) in last about five years, the winter capital city, especially the Old City localities and areas of Jammu West Constituency, are still reeling under acute shortage of drinking water while with the massive silt in the filtration plant at Sitlee near Nagrota Bypass, the water filtration capacity has been reduced to nearly 50 per cent.
Reports from various parts of Old Jammu City and many localities of Jammu West, including New Plots, Sarwal, Janipur, Rehari, Bakshi Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Ploura, Buta Nagar, Roop Nagar etc revealed that water supply position has turned grim for the last three weeks. The people are hardly receiving water supply even after three days. The water supply is provided only once, and time period of supply has also been reduced from 45 minutes to hardly 15 to 20 minutes. There is no alternative arrangements of water tanker supplies to these areas by the department while the water tax per house hold has been increased manifold during last three years by the department. In many areas, the public is mainly dependent on the water supply through private tankers by paying from their own pockets.
Due to strike recently by the PHE tanker drivers after installment of ‘trackers’ (GPR system), the water supply through tankers in the city also got affected for few weeks and this also added to the sufferings of the people. Though department managed to reduce alleged fuel theft in the vehicles but it was done at the cost of the ‘essential services’ to the general public. The continuous strike by the PHE daily wagers was yet another reason of the poor supply position for many weeks.
Though the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Choudhary could not spare time to review the water supply position amidst crisis and contain increasing public protests over water crisis in Jammu city by taking some measures, he deputed his PRO recently to hold meeting with the Chief Engineer, SEs, Xens other engineers concerned to take feed back and inform him about the gravity of situation. The Minister even after taking feed back, failed to initiate measures after one week of this meeting as no change was visible on the ground.
The outgoing Chief Engineer, PHE Jammu, Sushil Aima when contacted told the Excelsior that due to flood in river Tawi the filtration capacity of the Sitlee Plant has been reduced. He claimed that it happens during rainy season every time. This is ongoing process and moreover, water channels towards the plant also get wash away in flood. The muddy water of the river takes double time for the filtration and due to this the entire supply is affected. Silt also accumulates fast during these days.
Replying to a question, regarding over-looking of mandatory de-silting exercise this time before onset of Monsoon season, Aima said it is done on routine basis and is ongoing exercise. He further maintained that due to long power curtailments even to the dedicated feeders by the PDD, this problem gets aggravated during these days. Aima claimed that water supply will improve as ERA has handed over about 12 more water tanks to PHE. But there is still over all shortage of about 18 lakh million gallons of water in the city every day.
Executive Engineer PHE City Division-I, Haneesh Manchanda claimed that due to problem in Sitlee Filtration Plant, the water problem in some Jammu areas is being felt for the last some time. He said the river Tawi at Nagrota Bypass near the Sitlee Pumping Station changed its course towards left bank due to recent floods. Now, water is being fetched by creating water channel towards plant.
It again gets wash away due to flood and again same is to be created for tapping water. The settlement of silt is yet another reason. This happens every time during rainy season. This has reduced the water filtration/ generation capacity to almost half. Manchanda claimed that it will take some time to improve water supply in these areas. On charging of Rs 3500 from the consumers for changing to ERA water pipes connections from the old PHE pipes, the Executive Engineers said no money is being charged from the legal connection holders. This amount is being charged only from those having illegal water connections.
Another senior officer of PHE said that ERA constructed nearly 50 Tube wells in Jammu city and nearly 16 MGD of water supply was targeted from them. He said for long inter-connectivity of many Tube wells also remained the cause of concern and delay in water supply. Out of the total, 30 Tube wells are on left bank of river Tawi while 20 on the right bank (North side) of the city.
He further pointed out that due to long power cuts, the water supply is also affected. Over 211 Tube wells were dependent on power supply. On an average 3-4 of them remain out of order due to mechanical faults and get affected due to power curtailment. Low voltage is yet another problem. He further disclosed that about 40 water tankers have also been deployed in Jammu city and its surroundings to cater to the need of the people during these summer days.
Sitlee Filtration Plant, considered to be the lifeline of the people of Jammu city, in fact has turned out to be the ‘rehabilitation centre’ for some Union leaders of the PHE ( Mech/Civil) department who prefer own comforts and Union meetings over the essential public supplies, under the nose of Minister concerned and the Chief Engineer. While the senior officials in the department claim that this problem has been erupted due to change in the course of river Tawi at Nagrota Bypass and frequent floods, but the insiders in the department revealed that due to careless attitude of the officials placed there and ‘non-work culture’ being promoted by some senior officers, the mandatory de-siltation exercise before the onset of rainy season, was over looked and it aggravated the problem of water crisis in the city.
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