Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 26: Work on Rs 42 crore water supply scheme on Doodh Ganga stream in Central Kashmir’s Chadoora area of Budgam district was resumed today, two days after Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura ordered suspension of its work following massive protests, triggering fresh violence.
The locals of Chadoora and adjoining villages of Budgam today staged violent protests against the scheme as they argue it would hamper irrigation. Police today used force against protesters but the work remained unaffected. The residents said that the water supply scheme will have adverse impact on irrigation water supply in around 60 villages of the district.
Succumbing to pressure of the people of his constituency, the Minister Hanjura had on Thursday evening directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and Chief Executive Officer of Economy Reconstruction Agency (ERA) to suspend the construction work on the project till an amicable solution.
However the work was resumed today as sources said the Chief Minister is himself keen to see the project being completed within time frame.
The construction work of laying of 600 MM Di Pipe project was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs. 42.54 crore during the previous regime in September 2013 to augment the existing drinking water scenario in the area and the work on the same was started in October 2014.
A senior official of the PHE told Excelsior that Doodh Ganga water supply scheme would benefit 3 lakh people of the city and its outskirts as well as areas of Budgam district. “The areas of the city which would be benefitted from the scheme include Rawalpora, Chanapora, Batamaloo, Baghi Mehtab, Alochi Bagh, Humhama and Natipora”, the official said.
The project work is being executed by Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) and the deadline for the completion is December 16, 2016. The work was started last year September 2014 even as the ERA has already completed the scheme upto Chadoora running across Nawhar to Kralpora.
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