Jammu, March 05: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Assembly Constituency in the Jammu region is grappling with a severe water crisis, with a daily shortfall of 1.36 lakh gallons. Against the required 11.85 lakh gallons per day, the constituency is currently receiving only 10.49 lakh gallons, the government informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
The details were shared in response to a question raised by BJP MLA BR Sharma. The government stated that 91 ‘Pani Samiti Committees’ have been formed under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the constituency to oversee the implementation and progress of water supply projects. These committees play a crucial role in monitoring and ensuring the timely completion of works under the mission.
Additionally, regular review meetings are conducted by the District Jal Jeevan Mission (DJJM), chaired by the District Development Commissioner (DDC). The government assured that technical field staff continuously monitor the work at various project sites. To ensure quality control, the District Project Management Units (DPMUs) and an independent third-party inspection agency are also involved in supervising the execution of water supply schemes.
Regarding infrastructure, the government clarified those different types of pipes—Galvanised Iron (GI), Ductile Iron (DI), and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)—are being used based on site requirements. The Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) manual and guidelines from the National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) recommend HDPE pipes for water transmission under various supply schemes. The government reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the water scarcity issue in the constituency through ongoing projects and stringent monitoring mechanisms.
