MP water supply project yet to take off

The scarcity of drinking water facilities is likely to continue this year too as the ambitious Narmada water project under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is yet a far cry. The Rs 339-crore project will partially be functional by June this year, according to Urban Administration and Development Minister Babulal Gaur.

At present, more than 60 per cent of the state’s population is receiving water supply at alternate days, the rest who live in private colonies hardly receive one hour non-treated water supply.

“Narmada water project is delayed due to late clearance from the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment. The project is likely to start partially by June. Of the total 69 km of pipeline, 66 km has been covered and the rest will be covered within two months,” Gaur said.

“It took 30 months for the Centre to give us environment related permission. It delayed the project,” he said.

He, however, did not reason as to why Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had ensured the public that the project would start functioning by September 2009.