Assam: Lampi residents voice frustration over failed Jal Jeevan Mission water supply scheme, to file complaint

Residents of the Lampi area are expressing their deep frustration with the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) water supply scheme, which they claim has completely failed to deliver clean drinking water. This area, falling under the Boko Sub-Division of the Public Health Engineering Department, is overseen by Mukut Barman.

Local residents allege that the authorities have neglected proper installation procedures, accusing contractors of installing water supply taps, posts, and pipes haphazardly to inflate costs. "Contractors have placed taps, posts, and pipes indiscriminately, simply to maximize profits for themselves and the engineers," the locals allege.

Despite the government spending crores on water supply schemes, the people of Lampi have yet to receive a drop of clean drinking water. The inaccessible terrain of the Lanpi area has only exacerbated the problem, allowing departmental authorities and contractors to escape accountability.

Biju Chetri highlighted the poor condition of the water supply scheme at Harshanagar in Lampi, despite significant financial investment. "Water tanks are filled with algae and weeds. No steps have been taken to clean the water, yet contractors have installed taps for the Jal Jeevan Mission," he remarked.

Residents claim that the current efforts by contractors and engineers are just another attempt to profit, similar to past projects in Lampi. The state government's village headman, Krishna Sharma, noted that while a few households sometimes receive water from the Harshangar project, it is not drinkable. Most villagers still rely on stream water, often walking kilometers to collect it for drinking and other uses.

In response to these grievances, the residents of Lampi have prepared a memorandum to submit to the Chief Engineer through the village headman. They state that 522 families in the Lampi area have not received drinking water to date and that the indiscriminate installation of water taps and posts is ineffective. They also stress that the water from the dam, which the authorities intend to use for supply, is unfit for drinking. The memorandum calls for immediate action to address these issues.

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