Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary chaired a meeting of officers to review the availability of water supply in Kashmir Division. Chairing a joint meeting of officers of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Law and Finance Departments, the Minister directed the concerned for ensuring uninterrupted water supply to the people, saying that it is the prime duty of Government. He asked for maintaining roasterso that the employees remain available at the filteration plants and other water supply schemes to cater to the needs of people. Taking review of regularization process and release of honorarium to the Daily Wagers, the Minister asked the concerned for early release of honorarium and speeding-up of regularization process. He also asked the concerned for sending lists of rest of the daily wagers with complete documents so that it could be sent to the Empowered Committee for further action. Seeking details of vacant posts lying in the department, the Minister asked to refer these posts to the recruiting agencies to fill these on fast-track basis. The meeting also reviewed the pace of work on various projects under implementation in the PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control sector. Giving brief account of activities of department and present situation, the Minister was informed that the employees are safe and attending their duty regularly. Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Director General, Budget, Chief Engineer, Irrigation, Kashmir and other senior officers of the department attended the meeting. Visiting the tanker bank in Srinagar, the Minister appealed the people especially youth not to cause damage to water tankers pressing for water supply service. He also appealed them to allow movement the vehicles carrying bleaching powder, liquid pack and alum used for purifying the water. Later, the Minister visited Zeastha Devi Mandir and took stock of the problems being confronted there relating to water supply. He directed the Executive Engineer, PHE to replace the damaged pipes leading to water reservoir at Zeastha Devi. He also asked him to take measures to make functional hand pump installed in the premises of Zeastha Devi Asthan.
