Uttarakhand: Jal Jeevan Mission irregularities: HC halts payment to contractors, seeks affidavit from government

The Nainital High Court has taken a tough stand on allegations of massive irregularities and embezzlement of funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission in 23 villages of Pratapnagar tehsil of Tehri. The High Court has withheld payments to the contractors involved in the irregularities.

Payments to erring contractors withheld
A division bench of Chief Justice Narendra and Justice Subhash Upadhyay, hearing the case, ordered that payments to the erring contractors be withheld. The state government and the Uttarakhand Drinking Water Corporation have been asked to submit affidavits. The case relates to a public interest litigation filed by Dinesh Chandra Joshi, former head of Bhelunta village.

Pipelines not laid in accordance with standards
It is alleged that pipelines laid in many villages under the “Har Ghar Jal, Har Ghar Nal” scheme do not meet standards. Instead of laying pipes two and a half feet underground, contractors laid them in the open, near trees, or at ground level. The petitioner alleges that the Drinking Water Corporation and the executing agencies have not taken any action against the contractors’ negligence, resulting in disruptions in water supply to villages during times of disaster.

The next hearing in the case will be held on December 1st
The Executive Engineer has also confirmed irregularities in villages like Bhelunta, Dewal, Khetgaon, and Kholgarh. The government informed the court that payments have already been stopped in villages where work was found to be substandard. The court has now directed that payments for the work found to be erroneous be stopped. The court has stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the entire matter and action against the responsible officials. The next hearing in the case will be held on December 1st.