Water schemes suffered from inherent flaws despite funding: CAG

Dehra Dun, Mar 24 (UNI) Despite the availability of adequate funds, schemes to provide drinking potable water to rural habitations and schools in the state suffered from inherent flaws in planning resulting in their being either abandoned or suspended during implementation.

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pointed out that despite adequate funding, four out of eight schemes to provide drinking water to rural habitations and rural schools remained either ''defunct or defective'' and identification of 19 habitations as ''fully covered'' were not receiving drinking water.

It has held up the Nigam, which is responsible for the execution of water schemes, for discrepencies in planning and delay in completion of the schemes. It notes that, ''due to inadequate planning, 34 and eight schemes were suspended and abandoned respectively in 2002-07 by the Nigam during construction after spending Rs 6.24 crore''.

Furthermore, it articulates that water pipes were not laid down, especially in hilly areas, resulting in ''frequent disruption of water supply''. Water quality tests were not conducted even after commissioning of the schemes and the Nigam did not distribute field water testing kits to local bodies.

It notes that funds to the estimate of Rs 7.03 crore (released by the Government of India) and meant for providing drinking water to 2260 uncovered rural schools till 2006-07 remained ''unutilised'' as a result of which students had to fetch water by themselves from elsewhere.

The gravity of sources drying up can be ascertained in the context of it leading to increasing number of habitations without potable drinking water, it adds.

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