Three years ago mega drinking water project for Greater Jammu was announced with great fanfare. The two-phased project was envisaged to be completed by 2017. This was a plan devised to meet the drinking water requirements of Jammu in next thirty years. Nearly 14 lakh souls need to be provided drinking water and the first phase of the contemplated mega project would lift 225 MGD with almost the same quantity in phase II. The project has been estimated to cost 1008 crore rupees.
But what is usually the fate of most of the mega projects in our State has been of this project as well. It has run into serious difficulties and the apprehension is that it is coming to near closure. Three years have been spent for only project formation and there is no sign of project really and practically taking off. It was supposed to be financed by ADB to the tune of 1008 crore rupees.
But the inspection team that flew in from Manila for on spot inspection of the project has made some observations which have put a halt to the flow of funds from the source. The team’s reservation is that the Economic Reconstruction Agency has not taken into account the adverse ecological effects of the project on aquatic life of the river. The water was proposed to be lifted from River Chenab near Akhnoor and then supplied to specific localities of water thirsty Greater Jammu.
The observation of the team has come as big disappointment to the ERA because it almost means shelving the project and thus disappointing lakhs of people who had pinned their hopes to it. The point that needs to be made is why the PHE and concerned agencies did not conduct survey of the project strictly in accordance with the ecological norms laid down by the ADB and then only approach them for financial loan for the project. After all we have the requisite mechanism and structures that would have ensure no ecological damage to the river or the aquatic life. Perhaps they have not taken their job seriously and done good homework before approaching the ADB for financial loan. This also indicates that though PHE has very rightly taken into account the need of the population in peripheral Jammu town for next three decades and proceeded along a mega project yet it appears that various components that are required to make their contribution to the implementation of the project on ground have not done a commendable work. Nothing should have been left to chance and before the ADB inspection team arrived, all requirements should have been fulfilled,
Now that the Chenab project seems to be running into difficulty even if Environmental Inspection Study (EIS) is conducted and reported to have taken all stipulated norms into consideration, still there seems little hope that ADB will be willing to come forth with a positive attitude. On the surface of it, one can also feel that the Pakistani factor and Indo-Pak Indus Water Treaty too must have been in the mind of ADB team, but Indian side is convinced that drinking water does not come under a category where Pakistan needs to be consulted.
This situation does not mean that we should lose all hope and sit idle and do nothing. This is an issue in which lakhs of people of Greater Jammu are involved. Jammu city has seen sudden spurt in population growth in recent years and a large number of localities have sprung up around old Jammu on all sides even across the Tawi River. We cannot depend entirely on funding agencies and shall have to plan on our own level and within our own resources. May be we will need longer period to accomplish this mega project and finance it from other sources. This is a project of immense importance to the vast population of Jammu and a public discourse should be invited on issues like ecological protection, aquatic life preservation, proper identification of areas on priority basis and the rest of it.
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