Taking note of the non-availability of drinking water in some educational institutions, authorities have been directed to provide functional drinking water connections to all schools and Anganwadi centres within one month.
The Chief Secretary of J&K, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, while chairing a meeting to review the progress achieved under the centrally sponsored scheme 'Jal Jeevan Mission' in Jammu and Kashmir, directed completing the phase II and III of Jal Jeevan Mission by September 30, 2022. He further asked the Department to initiate the process of tendering for works under subsequent phases to ensure adherence to project timelines.
School sanitation programme be initiated to cover educational institutions
The Chief Secretary directed that School Sanitation Programme be initiated in consultation with School Education Department. Reviewing the quality standards of water being provided under the Mission, the Chief Secretary asked the Department to test the water quality on 15 parameters identified by the Bureau of Indian Standards, within 15 days at both water source and filtration plant. He asked the Department to evolve a water quality management mechanism to regularly monitor water quality at various stages of distribution.
Many govt schools without drinking water facility
Although authorities have yet not released the list of schools having drinking water facilities, data revealed that 5,433 government schools in J&K don't have water facilities. Out of these 5,433 government schools without water facilities, 3,751 are primary, 1,484 middle, 161 high, and 37 higher secondary.
In the Jammu division, Poonch district topped the list with a total of 709 schools without water facilities. These include 481 primary, 199 middle, 26 high, and three higher secondary schools. Similarly, in Kashmir province, Kupwara district has 703 state-run schools without water facilities. Of 703 schools, 447 are primary, 230 middle, 19 high, and seven higher secondary schools.
Paani Samittees prepare action plans for villages
The Jal Shakti Department informed that Paani Samittees constituted in all Panchayats, have successfully prepared respective Village Action Plans (VAPs). The Chief Secretary requested the J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority (JKWRRA) to technically examine such plans for asserting the quality of the exercise.
He asked the JKWRRA to undertake a holistic study into various types of water bodies in Jammu and Kashmir and the quality and discharge of water for evolving testing guidelines to be adopted by the Jal Shakti Department.
