'All pending water supply projects to be completed in a year'

Jammu and Kashmir government is committed to provide safe drinking water to the people living in every nook and corner of the state for which all languishing water supply projects would be completed in a year, a senior officer said Friday.

This was stated at a meeting here by Secretary, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Farooq Ahmad Shah.

He also said that to mitigate the problem of drinking water in snow bound areas in the winter season, "anti-freeze pipes would be installed soon".

Reviewing the performance of PHE department in Jammu division here at a meeting, he took detailed stock of languishing projects mostly water supply schemes.

During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary reviewed the various central and state sponsored schemes along with financial progress.

The meeting was informed that 142 Water Supply Schemes have been approved by High Powered Committee recently including Rs 252.35 crores as balance cost.

Besides 112 additional projects are being submitted to Finance Department involving Rs 161.70 crore as balance cost for their completion.

Shah directed the concerned officers to complete these schemes within a year.

He instructed them to speed up the pace of work on all ongoing projects for their early completion.

He said during this fiscal, the focus will be on installation of more hand pumps for wider coverage of small habitations.