The Congress on Monday staged protests in Lumding town of Hojai district, alleging large-scale corruption and mismanagement in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with party leaders claiming that thousands of households continue to face acute drinking water shortages despite official records showing completion of works.
The agitation, led by the Hojai District Congress Committee, was held at multiple locations in East and West Lumding panchayat areas. Protesters accused the state government and the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of failing to ensure actual water supply on the ground, even as tap connections have been shown as functional on paper.
Addressing the demonstrators, Congress leaders alleged that crores of rupees sanctioned under the centrally sponsored drinking water scheme had been misused. They claimed that in several localities pipelines are incomplete, pump houses are non-functional and taps installed under the scheme have never supplied water.
Former Lumding MLA Swapan Kar alleged that the Jal Jeevan Mission in the area has turned into “a paper exercise,” saying residents are still dependent on ponds, tube wells and distant water sources for daily needs. He demanded a high-level inquiry into the alleged irregularities and accountability from the officials concerned.
Hojai District Congress Committee president Jili Chowdhury said the party would intensify its agitation if the government failed to address the issue. She also demanded the resignation of the state’s PHE minister, accusing the department of misleading the public with inflated progress reports.
Local residents, including women who joined the protest, said the lack of piped drinking water has added to their daily hardships, especially during the dry season.
The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide safe and adequate piped drinking water to every rural household. However, opposition parties have repeatedly alleged gaps between official claims and ground realities in several parts of Assam.
No immediate response was available from the district administration or the PHE department at the time of filing this report.
- Log in to post comments
